Bishoujo Senshi Sailormoon Shards
by Mink-chan
Summary: Usa-chan, Chibiusa's daughter and princess of Crystal Tokyo, has lost everything she gained in the past. Now she must defend her home against a new threat and find a way to reawaken her Sailor Team before it's too late. Sequel to BSSM Labyrinth.
1. Author's Notes and Prologue

**Authors Note**

First of all, Bishoujo Senshi Sailormoon Shards is the direct sequel to Sailormoon Labyrinth, also posted here. Since there are direct references to the characters and events of this story, I highly suggest you start there.

Secondly, this story takes place entirely in the future (Crystal Tokyo era) and primarily involves characters of my own creation. The royal family and the original senshi make "guest" appearances, but they are not the main characters. Chibiusa (mostly because I intensely disliked her when writing this) is also not a main character.

Finally, thank you so much to those of you who took the time to comment and review Labyrinth and those of you who sent me private messages telling me that you enjoyed it. I appreciate all your kind words and encouragement.

Everything beyond this is unnecessary to the story itself, so feel free to scroll past the next bit and get right to the story if you're so inclined!

Shards was originally written in the fall of 1999, which was my junior year in high school. Anime was very much not mainstream yet, and the handful of shows I'd seen were VHS tapes of fansubs. My Sailormoon knowledge was largely cobbled together from the dub version, other people's fanfiction, and image galleries that would post hundreds of pictures of each episode. It would literally take me hours to get through a few episodes with my dial-up AOL connection!

In 2009, as a pet project (and because it was Shards 10th anniversary) I went completely back over it and cleaned it up a little bit. The story and the characters are the same, but I've added a few scenes for the sake of clarity and adjusted a few others that didn't make as much sense as I thought they did all those years ago.

If you enjoy, have questions, comments, etc, feel free to review or send me a message. I do have a job and a life now, but I'll get back to you as soon as I can. (And while I appreciate enthusiasm about my work, unless more than a week has passed since an update, please don't ask when the next chapter will be out. This is a completed work, true, but it still takes me some time to get things posted. I will try to have everything up before the end of May, probably much sooner, but please be patient!)

Constructive criticism is welcome, flames are not.

**Prologue**

In the Beginning, there was Nothing.

Darkness. Silence. Emptiness.

However, after countless years, a beam of light cut through the eternal blackness, and gave life to the universe.

_The Silver Millennium._

Ruled by Queen Serenity, this was a time of happiness and prosperity. Learning and culture were predominant, and there was peace.

Nothing lasts forever, and a perfect world is often too easily shattered.

The Silver Millennium, located on the moon, was invaded by the planet it circled: Earth. Lead by Queen Beryl and Queen Metallia, the forces of Earth were successful in defeating the peaceful citizens of the kingdom on the moon. During the struggle, both Princess Serenity of the Silver Millennium and Prince Endymion of Earth were killed. The court of the princess, the senshi of Mercury, Mars, Jupiter, and Venus also fell at the hands of the attackers. Devastated by the loss of her daughter, Queen Serenity invoked an ancient power, channeled by a crystal called the ginzuishou. Using the last of her strength, and unlocking the true power of the crystal, Queen Serenity traded her life for those who had already perished. The inhabitants of the Silver Millennium were sent to Earth, the gift of a second chance given to them.

_A New Beginning._

Princess Serenity revived as a girl named Tsukino Usagi, a normal girl at first glance, albeit a bit clumsy and somewhat of a crybaby. She held an amazing secret locked away in the farthest recesses of her mind: she was Sailormoon, a defender of justice. Protected by a mysterious man known as Tuxedo Kamen, one by one she awakened the other senshi.

Mizuno Ami, Sailormercury.

Hino Rei, Sailormars.

Kino Makoto, Sailorjupiter.

Aino Minako, Sailorvenus.

A newly awakened enemy known as the Dark Kingdom challenged them. Its leader: Queen Metallia.

In a desperate race to recover the ginzuishou, which had been lost through the endless currents of time, Usagi-chan discovered another startling secret about herself. She was Princess Serenity of the Silver Millennium. Tuxedo Kamen, although nearly killed in the process, was revealed to be the long lost Prince Endymion. From a single tear, released from the eye of a lost princess, the ginzuishou was able to reform. In the hands of its rightful owner, the ginzuishou allowed Princess Serenity, with the help of her senshi, to purify Queen Metallia, destroying her. For their princess, the senshi died a second time. By releasing the power of the ginzuishou, Princess Serenity chose to follow the same path her mother had once taken. Spiraling into death, Tsukino Usagi made a final wish: "Please. Return my life to me."

_The Birth of Crystal Tokyo._

When the world laid cold and dormant, a familiar light once again warmed its lifeless surface. Tsukino Usagi, now a full grown woman, unlocked the power of the ginzuishou and restored life, remaking the world. Her new kingdom was called Crystal Tokyo, and she was heralded as Neo-Queen Serenity. Her husband, King Endymion, ruled at her side, and together they produced a daughter, called Small Lady. Times once again returned to peace.

_The Attack of the Dark Moon, Nemesis._

Again, time halts for no one, and change is inevitable. The peace of Crystal Tokyo was shattered by a brutal attack out of nowhere from the jealous people from the dark moon, Nemesis. The ginzuishou vanished, and Neo-Queen Serenity was placed inside a crystal casket for protection. The senshi rallied and created a barrier preventing Nemesis from any further attacks. Small Lady, with the help of the mysterious senshi of time, Sailorpluto, traveled back to the past to recover the ginzuishou there. Pursued from the future by the forces of Nemesis, Small Lady was finally captured and transformed into her dark self, Black Lady. Nearly killing both Serenity and Endymion, Black Lady was healed by the power of love her mother and father felt for her. Serenity took the form of Neo-Queen Serenity, her future self, and with the help of Small Lady banished Nemesis with the combined power of two ginzuishou.

_The Fall of Crystal Tokyo._

Sensing that peace could not prevail forever, Neo-Queen Serenity, with all of her senshi, utilized the power of the ginzuishou to create a structure called the Labyrinth. A sprawling maze in Crystal Tokyo, the strongest or most aggressive of the citizens used the Labyrinth to vent their combative urges. The more aggressive of the senshi used the Labyrinth as a training ground, and the elite that made up the Royal Guard were obligated to traverse the Labyrinth as a final test. Little did anyone know, save possibly a young princess generally called Usa-chan, that evil was lurking within the depths of the maze.

In an unexpected strike, the demons and creatures inhabiting the Labyrinth broke loose of their confines and ravaged the city. Neo-Queen Serenity, King Endymion, and all of the senshi were killed defending Crystal Tokyo. Usa-chan, surviving by a freak accident, discovered that Sailorpluto, at the Gate of Time, had also come through the attack alive. At the command of the senshi of time, Usa-chan traveled to the past in hopes to avert the tragedy awaiting the future.

Discovering that they faced not one enemy, but two, the senshi were finally forced to admit they couldn't prevent the events of the future from occurring. Sailorpluto, with the help of the mysterious senshi of dreams and reality, offered to take the powers of the senshi to their future children, who had been saved by the nameless guardian senshi. The powers passed to the next generation, and with the help of Princess Serenity, Usa-chan destroyed the newest enemy using the power of two combined ginzuishou.

Returning to their respective times, the senshi and their children had their memories erased by Sailorpluto. The guardian senshi caused the Labyrinth to disappear into a space between realities, therefore avoiding the destruction of Crystal Tokyo. Usa-chan alone carried the story of what had happened to Crystal Tokyo, and within her, she carried a secret she didn't dare reveal to anyone...

Thus, A New Story Begins.


	2. The Turning of a Page, A Beginning

**Chapter One**

**The Turning of a Page, A New Chapter Begins**

"Let me see..."

Aino Nakomi, daughter of the senshi of love, Aino Minako, stared at the magazine laying in front of her with bright blue eyes quickly scanning the lines of text. Barano Moriko, daughter of the late senshi of wood, Barano (Kino) Makoto, rolled her green eyes and sighed melodramatically, saying, "By the time you find it to read, the prediction won't even apply anymore!"

Nakomi ignored the brunette and trailed her finger along the page, murmuring, "Gemini, Gemini, where is it? Where is i-Oh! Found it!" She flashed a brilliant smile in Moriko's direction and carefully read, "Gemini, now is your time to search for a new love. Break off your old romances and search for someone new." She quirked one eyebrow, threw her arms up to the ceiling, and sighed loudly.

"_How_ can I search for someone new if I don't have someone _old_ to dump first?"

Moriko giggled and replied, "If I were you, I'd be more worried about being dumped than actually _doing_ the dumping."

Nakomi's head whipped in the direction of her friend, sitting opposite of her, and exclaimed with mock indignation, "_What_ exactly is that supposed to mean?!"

Moriko flashed her a horrible face, and Nakomi smirked and added, "It's no wonder _you_ don't have a boyfriend! With a face like that, you're lucky your own sister will come near you!" The brunette heaved a pillow at her, and Nakomi tumbled backwards, shrieking with laughter.

"Keep it down up there!" Aino Aikin, the elder of the two, and only son of Aino Minako, rolled his eyes with mock-exasperation and shrugged at his mother.

"I tried." He said mournfully, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

"I guess that's all I can ask for." Minako laughed lightly. Even after living for several hundred years, she looked fantastic, her age only making her look mature, rather than old. With the eternal body of someone in her late twenties and hundreds of years of experience behind her, Minako was far more formidable than she looked. Aikin snatched a cookie off of the plate she was carrying and peered at it suspiciously.

"Did you make these?" His mother had the decency to look offended even as she said, "Of course not! I don't want to poison Moriko-chan!"

The tall blond rolled his eyes in his mother's general direction and wryly answered, "But it's okay to poison your own children?"

Minako shrugged and replied, "Of course! I can always make more."

Aikin popped the cookie into his mouth, brushed a few stray strands of golden hair from his eyes and said, "I've gotta go. Umina's waiting for me. I don't like to give Tensei too much free time to rip me up. I prefer to hear his complaining in person."

Minako motioned that she wanted a kiss from her departing son, and when he supplied her with a quick peck on the cheek she said, "Try not to fight with him. I know it can be difficult, but Tensei's under a lot of pressure. Haruka-san expects so much from him..."

Aikin rolled his eyes and answered, "Yeah, and the rest of us take life as a stroll through the park. I have to go. Later!"

"Bye," She murmured softly. She stared pensively at the floor for a few moments, shrugged her shoulders, and bit into one of the cookies. There was another crash from upstairs, and Minako bustled up the stairs, food in hand, hoping that her daughter's room had at least remained intact this time around.

0

"Why are you looking so anxious?" Kaiou-Tenou Tensei, son of Kaiou Michiru and Tenou Haruka, peered at his twin sister, Umina, with suspicion from his position on the floor. A large book lay open but forgotten in front of him, and his sister stammered, "No reason. I'm just standing here, that's all." Tensei nodded his head sagely, his dark green hair catching the light slightly and gleaming.

"I see," He replied softly, "You _always_ hover around in the hallway, and in seventeen years of living with you, I just never noticed this particular habit."

Umina smirked at him and turned her nose up slightly. "Of course that's it." She added offhandedly, "I've always said you weren't very observant."

He growled at her playfully and turned his attention back to the thick textbook he was reading. Inwardly, Umina sighed with relief. She hated fighting with her brother. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of her reflection in the mirror opposite the bedroom.

_I don't look half bad,_ she thought with satisfaction.

With a toned body, sleek arms and legs, and beautiful aqua hair the same color as her mother's, Umina knew that she was an eyeful. She turned slightly, admiring the way the short, yellow skirt emphasized her legs without making them seem over-muscular, and Tensei, without looking up from his book, rolled his eyes and said, "If you're going to do that, don't stand in the doorway of my bedroom. You have your own room for that sort of thing." She made a face at him, but moved away.

_Maybe if I wait near the entryway, I can run out the door before he hears the bell... _

As if fate was plotting against her, the doorbell chimed overhead. Tensei immediately appeared at his door and glowered at her with a black look.

"You were waiting for that stupid, _Aino_, weren't you?"

Umina shrugged noncommittally, and Tensei, still scowling at her, snapped, "If you're going to go out with him, don't lie to me about it. He's bad enough without making you a liar."

Before she could respond, he whirled around and slammed the door in her face. Umina sighed heavily and went to answer the door.

0

"That's right, come here. I won't hurt you." Nichino Kazaki, daughter of Nichino (Hino) Rei, held her breath and extended her hand forward another inch. The tiny bird cocked its head at her curiously and the girl laughed softly.

"Come on," She said softly, "I know we can be friends." She ignored the strand of short, raven-black hair that fell forward into her violet eyes, and concentrated all her energy on the curious, but timid little bird.

"Don't be afraid. I-" The roar of a motorcycle suddenly tore through the air like a gunshot, and spooked, the bird took to the air in a flurry of feathers. Kazaki's head shot up, a look of pure annoyance written plainly on her face.

"What the heck?" She scowled as the rider gunned the engine, and managed to catch a glimpse of the offending bike as it shot by.

"Aikin and Umina! I should have known..."

She sighed, her anger quickly fading, and murmured, "I guess that's what I get for trying this in a public park. Maybe next time I'll go over to the shrine." She got slowly, but gracefully to her feet, brushed the grass off the back of her pants and walked away, passing by a small pond as she did so.

Ameno Mizumi, dressed in a light blue dress, daughter of Ameno (Mizuno) Ami, sighed with contentment as she leaned against the trunk of the tree. Every now and then a ripple in the pond would appear, throwing rings of water lapping against the shore. She closed her blue eyes and took a deep breath, savoring the sound of the water. The noise of the motorcycle had already faded into the distance, and Mizumi resubmerged herself in the book in her lap. Her dark blue hair was held back with a light blue, velvet ribbon, keeping it efficiently out of her eyes.

"Princess Serenity-sama was alone at this point," Mizumi read quietly, "the Inner Senshi, her guardians, had fallen, one-by-one, to the minions of Metallia..." She trailed off and stared up at the blue sky, murmuring, "I wonder what it would be like to be a senshi. Could I allow myself to die to save another?"

A falcon flew low overhead, and the sunlight reflected off of silver feathers. Mizumi noted the odd color only absently; everyone knew that the unique silver bird belonged to the princess.

0

Tsukino Usa-chan, Neo-Princess Serenity, second heir for the throne of Crystal Tokyo, shielded her eyes from the sun and waited for the return of her falcon, Eclipse.

_Some of them are at the park__,_ the silver bird projected directly into her mind. _I just saw Aikin, Umina, Kazaki, and Mizumi. I don't know where the others are._

Usa considered it for a moment, absentmindedly biting at her lip as she did so, and finally said aloud to herself, "Nakomi-chan and Moriko-chan are probably shopping together somewhere. Tensei could be _anywhere_. He's very unpredictable."

"What's that, dear?" Her mother, Neo-Princess Selenity, called out to the balcony from inside the palace. She stuck her head out for a moment, her pink, pointed odango-styled hair appearing seconds ahead of her.

"Did you say something?"

Usa shook her head, her own dark hair in a similar, but more complex style of double odango, and smiled, saying, "Nope. Just thinking out loud."

Selenity nodded and ducked back inside.

Usa sighed lightly. Ever since she had returned from the past a year ago, things had been different.

_Maybe I'm just expecting too much. Things were boring for _years_ before the Labyrinth went berserk. I could be stuck in monotony for hundreds of years before something exciting happens again._

Of course, the fact that she found herself yearning for excitement again should have been a testament to just how much she had changed after last year. Usa-chan, second in line for the throne held by an immortal, had grown up quiet and withdraw, convinced that nothing she did could possibly make a difference in the world around her. Things had only gotten worse as she'd grown older and isolated the few tentative relationships she'd managed to form.

All that had changed when Sailorpluto had called on her to travel back in time in an attempt to save Crystal Tokyo. Usa-chan had found herself surrounded by more people than she knew what to do with, each of them reaching out to her. Even the children of the senshi had warmed to her, and she missed the bound that they had formed during that brief time.

Not that she wanted _everything_ to go back to the way it had been during her brief leadership of the senshi of Crystal Tokyo. The friendship had been nice, but the constant fear of death and the actual _leadership_ parts had been less than fun.

_Being the leader is something I can do without. Still...to be Sailormoon again...it might almost be worth it..._

She shuddered and shook her head, muttering, "Nah. Probably not. Being the boss is _way_ too much responsibility for me!"

_I am returning._

Usa automatically lifted her forearm to the sky, and moments later, Eclipse's heavy body settled on her. He carefully walked up her heavily gloved arm to rest on a leather pad covering her shoulder.

From inside, her mother called, "Usa-chan? How about this one? You never wore it because Ami-chan fell sick the day of the party, and it _was_ a gift..."

Usa froze, and felt her blood run cold. Dreading the answer, she replied, "What's wrong with what I'm wearing right now? I feel fine, and I have no intention of going anywhere the rest of the day." Something slammed inside, and Selenity slid out onto the balcony.

"You forgot." She said flatly, staring at her daughter with a mixture of amazement and resignation.

Usa sighed heavily and responded, "Whose party is it now? Maybe another annoying man has come to seek my hand in marriage? Grandmother is dealing with yet _another_ man who thinks he can oust King Endymion? We have another day to celebrate how wonderful the senshi are?" At this last remark, Selenity interrupted.

"That's uncalled for. We owe them a lot. They _deserve_ to have a day of recognition."

Usa shook her head and replied, "They have several. They don't _want_ recognition, Mother. You know all they want is to be left alone by the general public. They hate it when they have to stand up in front of everyone like some kind of freak show, and I personally can't say that I blame them. _I_ can't stand it when _I_ have to do it as the princess..."

Neo-Princess Selenity shook her head briskly and said, "That's beside the point. This party is to celebrate new trade routes opening up."

Usa looked at her mother incredulously and said, "You want me to get dressed up in an ugly, uncomfortable dress for hours to celebrate _trade routes_?! Are you out of your mind?! Why would _anyone_ want to come to something like that?"

Selenity sighed and answered, "We're expected to make a public appearance as heirs to the throne. Under the table, this is mostly just an excuse for all of us former senshi to get together and talk about old times without the pressures of duty weighing on us."

The young girl made a face and sourly said, "I'm _not_ a former senshi, remember?"

Silently she added, _Because, if you _did_ remember, you'd realize that I _am_ a former senshi. _

Continuing out loud she finished, "That brooch you and grandmother gave me for my last birthday is very pretty, but let's face it-"

_It's far less powerful than the one I used to have._

"This is Crystal Tokyo. Nothing bad _ever_ happens here. I'm _never_ going to need to transform into Sailormoon." Truthfully, Usa didn't know _why_ she was being so stubborn about going to the party. It _was_ a minor thing, and it was quite possible she'd be able to slip out after an hour or so had passed.

_You are afraid it will hurt too much._

_What?_ Usa glanced at the falcon sitting calmly on her shoulder.

_You are afraid that seeing the senshi talking about all of their experiences will make you think about your own senshi even more. You miss their companionship, and you are afraid seeing other senshi will make your own loneliness even worse._

Usa sighed with resignation and said, "Which dress did you have in mind?"

_After all, making Mother miserable won't help me any._ _Besides,_ she added to Eclipse, _what do you know anyway? Who said anything about being lonely?_

0

_This is terrible. Why did I ever agree to come here?_

Usa-chan sighed heavily and picked at the gaudy flowers adorning her dress. She shifted uncomfortably and played with a strand of long, black hair that had fallen over her shoulder and into her lap.

_Sneak out after an hour or so. Yeah. Right._

She sighed unhappily and looked out over the dance floor. Couples in multicolored outfits whirled around like they had wings, and Usa could do nothing but envy them. Inheriting the clumsiness from her mother's side of the family, the princess was lucky to walk in heavy gowns without tripping. Dancing, in any form, was out of the question. As if to mock her clumsy feet, Aikin and Umina floated by on the dance floor. She was in a beautiful aqua dress that matched her eyes and hair perfectly, he looked handsome in a black tuxedo. Usa stifled a laugh as she saw Nakomi and Moriko creeping alongside the dance floor, trying to keep pace with Aikin and his partner without looking like they were trailing him. Nakomi's face held a look of intense jealousy, and she had Moriko's arm clenched in a stranglehold.

_In a year, none of them has changed at all._

Usa scanned the floor for other long missed, but cherished, faces. Mizumi, as usual, was trailing alongside her mother and father, nodded her head politely every time they stopped to talk to someone. She looked fantastic in a fitted, light blue silk dress that fell to the floor but had a slit up the side, revealing a shapely leg. Kazaki, looking uncomfortable in her ballooned skirt and massive red dress, trailed after her mother as best she could, getting lost in the crowd every few minutes. Usa-chan cringed and wondered who had picked out the other girl's outfit.

_As if you could talk. Look at yourself for a minute or two. _

Her mouth twisted in distaste and she shut her eyes tightly. _Maybe if I don't look at it, it will get better._

She risked a peek and gave up. Nothing was going to fix the monstrosity that she'd been forced in to.

With huge, blue, gaudy, silk, flowers stitched on it at random intervals, the dress was only made worse but the strange color fading at equally random intervals. Although it was primarily dark blue, there were patches of lighter blue, and occasionally even white.

She rolled her eyes, smiled wryly at no one, and scanned the crowd for the last of "her" group. Tensei had found himself a deserted corner, no small feat in a heavily crowded ballroom, and seemed to be staring at the ceiling. Usa clutched at her dress.

_Maybe you should ask him to dance. It couldn't hurt. He was your friend as a senshi...sort of. Maybe he'd be your friend as the princess if you'd just talk to him._

Truthfully, although she doubted he would be openly rude, Usa knew all she was likely to get from Tensei was a cool politeness; even his sister would have been hard-pressed to get him to dance, and Usa knew she stood well below Umina in Tensei's mind. However, even as she tried to reassure herself that his imagined rejection was nothing personal, she still felt her eyes burn slightly. She told herself again that she wasn't lonely and twisted the strand of hair more tightly around her fingers.

Outside, in the dimly lit rose garden, no one saw the momentary ripple of the very fabric of reality itself. One of the palace dogs yawned widely, stretched, turned in circle and flopped back down. Moments later, a gleaming silver falcon soared overhead. Its sharp eyes scanned the area, apparently seeing perfectly by the light of the full moon, and obviously spotting nothing out of the ordinary, it moved on.

Usa covered a yawn with one hand and rubbed her eye sleepily. Her grandmother and grandfather seemed to be having a fantastic time. When they weren't talking animatedly with the numerous guests, they were socializing with the senshi or dancing on the floor. She sighed softly and wondered for the millionth time when people were going to start leaving.

"Hey, Koneko-chan. Not having a good time?"

Usa jumped as a hand clasped her shoulder, but relaxed immediately when she recognized the voice. She gratefully turned towards the speaker, noticing the fashionable tuxedo as she did so. Tenou Haruka, "father" to both Umina and Tensei, was probably Usa's favorite of her grandmother's senshi. The masculine woman always seemed to know just what to say, and in times of difficulty, she and Michiru had often been the ones to guide the young princess, rather than her own already emotionally frazzled mother.

"Onee-chan!" Usa smiled but shook her head ruefully. "Well... I don't think I'm cut out for this ballroom party thing. I'm not very good at dancing, and I don't really know very many people here."

Haruka chuckled and said, "Michiru suggested I come over and see if you wanted some company. She, as usual, has her hands full with the men of the gala." She shook her head with mock dismay and said, "She told me she has her eye on several potential winners this time."

Usa rolled her eyes and laughed lightly. She rose to her feet, careful not to trip on her hideous dress, and tipped her head slightly to better see the older woman's face. Usa wasn't short, but Haruka was still several inches taller than her.

"As if Michiru-onee-chan would ever-" She stopped abruptly as the palace shuddered almost imperceptibly. She frowned and quietly said, "Did you just feel that?"

Her playful expression gone, Haruka nodded sharply and said, "Yes, and I don't like the way the energy suddenly feels in here."

She squeezed Usa's shoulder and added, "Koneko-chan, I'm going to go and talk with your mother, the senshi, and your grandparents. At the first sign of trouble, I want you out of here and going to somewhere safe."

Usa started to protest, but Haruka cut her off and firmly said, "Promise me you'll leave the ballroom if things start to go wrong."

The princess bit her lip and murmured, "I want to _help_."

"The best way you can help is by not getting in the way. Let us senshi do our job, okay?" Haruka's words drove a knife deep into Usa's heart, despite the fact that she knew the woman hadn't meant them in a cruel way.

_She thinks all I'll do is get in the way...Maybe that used to be true, but I was Sailormoon! I'll show all of them! I _can_ help._ She nodded her head dutifully and said, "If there's a sign of trouble I'll leave the ballroom."

Silently, she added, _I won't _stay_ out of the ballroom, but I'll leave it long enough to get my henshin brooch._ Haruka nodded and quickly disappeared into the crowd.

_Sorry, Onee-chan. I don't want to lie to you, but you'd never believe me if I told you I've been Sailormoon before. Besides...it wasn't an _actual_ lie...more of a half-truth._ She still felt guilty, but eased herself by adding, _Once they see you can be Sailormoon, they won't think of you as a burden, and Onee-chan will see that she was wrong._

She sat calmly on the throne, quietly surveying the guests and wondered what was going to happen next.

The stars in the black velvet sky distorted slightly as the space around them twisted and shivered.

Usa frowned as another tremor shook through her bones. On the floor, Kazaki had stopped struggling to keep up with her mother, and was instead standing completely still, a confused look on her face. The senshi, Neo-Queen Serenity, King Endymion, and Neo-Princess Selenity had all shuffled off the floor, and were talking in a huddling group to one side. Haruka was talking animatedly with her hands, and Michiru was holding the Deep Aqua Mirror, her talisman, in her hands. Ami had a small blue computer in one hand, and was rapidly punching keys with the other.

Kazaki tipped her head to one side, and moments later Usa felt another twitch from the palace. Usa watched Rei's daughter carefully, and slowly turned to look at each of the people who had made up her team of senshi. Sure enough, moments before the next tremor, each of the children of the senshi would pause and cock their heads as if listening to something no one else could hear.

_What are they sensing? I have to look within myself for guidance..._

Usa closed her eyes and took deep breaths, trying to calm her nerves and the frantic thoughts racing around inside her mind.

_There._

Moments later, another tiny vibration stole through her.

_It almost sounded like a person..._

A quick glance around the room told Usa that most of the guests were blissfully unaware if the strange vibrations happening directly under their feet. Usa closed her eyes and started concentrating again, only to be nearly defended when a female voice inside her mind screamed, "_HELP ME!_"

She clapped her hands over her ears, and each of the children of the senshi did the same. There was the sound of a huge explosion directly outside, and a massive shock wave threw everyone to the ground.

_USA-CHAN!_ Eclipse screamed telepathically, _Something is wrong! The energy levels for this reality are going out of control! Come outside! QUICKLY!_

Usa leapt to her feet, only to be thrown back onto the throne as a girl wearing a sailorfuku appeared out of thin air and landed on top of her.

"Please," She whispered weakly, "you've got to help me. They're...they're...it's"

She trailed off, and her indigo eyes rolled back into her head. Usa felt the girl's body go completely limp, and the princess whispered, "A sailor...senshi?"

She cupped her hands to her mouth and yelled, "Somebody help me! _Help me!_"


	3. A Mysterious New Senshi

**Chapter Two**

**A Mysterious New Senshi, Power Up, Everyone!**

"Are you all right?" Usa slid her arm around the girl's shoulders and pulled her up slightly.

The girl's face was pale, and seemed even paler when framed by her shimmering white hair. A thin braid fell alongside the left side of her face and all the way down past her shoulder, held at the end by a small, black metal band. The rest of her hair was also in a thick braid, which looked as though it would hit near her knees had she been standing.

As Usa followed the line of the girl's hair, her eyes suddenly widened, and she whispered, "What? Her fuku..."

She trailed off and looked at the stranger's fuku with amazement. Where there should have been a middle section to her outfit was nothing but bare skin. Her skirt was pleated and a light lavender color with a white stripe along the bottom. Her chest bow was a dark indigo that matched her eyes, and had a round, lavender brooch in the middle of it. The back flap of her fuku was lavender, the back bow of her skirt was a translucent, wavy, lavender, and came roughly to her thighs. Her gloves, as well as the rest of the body of her fuku, was a rich cream as opposed to white, and they came up several inches past her elbows, ending in lavender trim just under double-layer, translucent indigo sleeves. Her tiara was black, and the gem in it was round and lavender. She wore tiny black infinity symbol earrings in each ear, an indigo choker at her throat with a black infinity symbol on it, and had knee length lavender, lace-up boots.

"Hey," Usa said softly, "Wake up. Come on. Tell me who you are."

She shook the girl slightly, who whimpered quietly and started to stir. Haruka reached her first, followed by King Endymion and Michiru.

"A sailor senshi," Michiru breathed with awe, staring down at the girl. The strange girl whimpered again, slowly opening her eyes. With them open, she looked much younger. Usa guessed that she was probably only sixteen or seventeen. The new senshi looked around quickly, a frightened look on her face.

"Where am I?" She asked quickly, "What happened?"

Usa was shocked to the core as a familiar voice played through her mind and she whispered, "I _know_ you!" The girl turned quickly and found herself face to face with Usa, whose lap she was still sitting on.

She blushed scarlet, and whispered, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to. That is-" Haruka saved her further embarrassment by helping the stammering girl to her feet. She leaned against the woman for support and took a long look at Usa. The princess sat quietly, not quite ready to voice her newfound suspicions. The senshi nodded once, a thoughtful look on her face.

"You _are_ the one I was trying to find."

Usa blinked with surprise and squeaked, "Me? Why would you be looking for _me_?"

"Because I know you."

The princess' heart jumped.

_I was right!_ She shouted gleefully to Eclipse.

_Usa-chan? Who is with you?_ The bird's voice was a confusing mixture of fear and something Usa couldn't quite identify, and Usa replied, _The mysterious senshi who allowed us into the room of crystal and shadows._

The senshi bowed slightly and said, "Now that I'm here, I might as well tell you everything I can. First of all, though," She stood up a little straighter, and stopped leaning on Haruka for support. She held out her left hand, and a thin rod of black metal adorned with an interwoven star and infinity symbol on the top appeared in her hand.

"My name is, Sailoraurora." She looked at Usa directly and added, "It's nice to see you again, Usa-chan. You have aged some since we last met."

Usa nodded mutely, and the others stared at her with shock. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Umina and Tensei lurking just behind the senshi, and realized that all of her sailor team was hanging just close enough to hear the conversation.

"Usa-chan?" Neo-Queen Serenity said softly, "Do you know this girl?"

The princess took a long look at Sailoraurora and finally said, "Yes. I think we need to go somewhere and talk. This story is a long one."

Eclipse sailed into the room and landed on Usa's outstretched arm. He walked calmly up her arm to perch on her reinforced shoulder pad, added to her dress at the last second, ruffling his feathers slightly as he did so.

_It has been a long time, Aurora._

She nodded her head slightly and replied, "It has indeed. It's good to see that you look well."

Usa almost laughed as she saw the baffled looks on the faces of everyone around her, and made a small shooing motion with her hands. "Go on, everyone. We can talk somewhere more private."

They all nodded, but didn't move, and Usa was finally forced to lead the way.

0

Neo-Queen Serenity shook her head with disbelief and repeated, "All of this happened after Nehelenia was defeated for the first time?"

Usa nodded her head with excitement and exclaimed, "Right! It was after Chibiusa returned to the future, but before Nehelenia returned. I became Sailormoon for the first time a few days after I arrived in the past, and about a week later, you and the senshi gave your powers to your children."

The children of the senshi looked at each other disbelievingly. Tensei raised an eyebrow and said, "You don't _actually_ expect us to swallow this story do you?" Haruka kicked him under the table, he choked, ducked his head, and said, "I mean, this is kind of hard to believe..."

Sailoraurora nodded and said, "I know much of this is difficult to accept, but I suspect things will become easier once Sailorpluto has returned your memories."

"That's another thing," Rei said, "Why did Sailorpluto take our memories away?"

Ami answered, "Because too much knowledge about the future is incredibly dangerous. What if you had known about what was going to happen to Shinoki-kun? Or about Mako-chan? What if any of us had known? We could never had let what happened, happen. _However_, if they had never died, who knows what would have happened in the future? Our timeline could have been destroyed forever."

Rei nodded thoughtfully and didn't say anything else.

"Well." Neo-Queen Serenity said firmly, "I think it's time I summoned Pluto. We need to have a talk about our memories." She pulled a delicate golden key on a chain from the crown set gracefully in her hair and held it gently between two fingers. Eyes shut, she murmured something no one could distinguish, and a tiny golden light flashed momentarily on the top of the key. Moments later, there was a ripple in the air, and Sailorpluto stepped into the room.

"I suspected this would come to pass soon. There was a strange disturbance in the energy patterns here, yes?"

"Yes." Endymion stepped forward and continued. "Sailorpluto, we've called you here to request the return of our memories about the Labyrinth. Sailoraurora believes that it's time for their return."

The newest senshi bobbed her head in Pluto's direction and said, "Nice to finally see you in person, Sailorpluto-san."

"Yes," Pluto replied softly, "The feeling is mutual." Privately, Pluto was shocked by the apparent youth of Aurora; she could barely remember that time when Queen Serenity had asked her, at an age not much younger than Aurora, to take up her post at the Gates of Time. With a small shake of her head, Pluto added, "I'd like to speak with you some more later, Aurora." When the other senshi nodded her assent, Pluto turned to the rest of the group. "For now, I'll return your memories." A soft mauve light began to radiate from the Garnet Orb and a wash of images swept over those present.

Usa steps around the corner of Rei's shrine.

Her first transformation into SailorMoon.

Freeing Sailormoon from the vines of a plant monster with her boomerang.

Sailormoon saving SailorMoon from a giant bear-shadow as the ginzuishou on Usagi's chest glows brighter and brighter.

Neo-Princess Serenity kneels in front of an unconscious Sailormoon.

Holding out her hands as the ginzuishou reforms and Sailormoon opens her eyes.

Usa turns from SailorMoon into SupersailorMoon.

The outline of Sailoraurora (the guardian senshi) at the Gate of Time.

Lune appears and lands on SailorMoon's shoulder.

Shinoki smiles very briefly.

The senshi fight Lady Makoto.

SailorMoon faces off against Kage.

Lady Makoto dies.

Usa stands with her hands cupping her henshin brooch as each of the senshi calls out their henshin phrase.

Glowing, multicolored balls of energy enter her brooch.

Usa stares intently, her eyes a dark blue.

The senshi looked at each other with amazement, and Minako murmured, "It really _did_ happen..." The children looked at each other with confusion, and finally, Umina spoke up.

"Um...I don't want to be disrespectful...but, where exactly do we come into this? I'm assuming our mothers were seeing something...but..." she trailed off, and Moriko flatly stated, "We didn't see anything."

Pluto was staring at the Garnet Orb, and she muttered, "I know. It refuses to return your memories to you. I meant to go much farther into what happened then where the images ended. I don't know what happened." Usa felt her heart and face drop.

_If they can't remember what happened I'll _never_ be friends with any of them again._

Mizumi spoke up for the first time. "You said that we fought an entity known as the Divine One in a future that no longer exists, right?"

Pluto nodded, and Tensei, his face lighting up, jumped in. "You're giving us our memories back by reminding us of a time we lived, yes?"

Again, Sailorpluto nodded, understanding beginning to show on her face.

"So," Mizumi said, "is it possible that you can't remind us of a time that never existed?" Before Pluto could answer, Tensei added, "That's assuming the 'reminding' _is_ the way you manipulate memory."

Sailorpluto raised an eyebrow slightly and said, "Not exactly, but it's close enough to the truth to suffice."

Pluto turned towards the rest of the senshi and children in the room, who were all looking completely baffled, and said, "I can't give you back the rest of your memories. Mostly, it has to do with the fact that I can only affect time. The time of your lost memories never happened in this timeline, so I cannot affect it, and by proxy, them."

Ami, Michiru, Hotaru, and Endymion all looked as if they at least partially understood, as did Kazaki and Aikin. Everyone else still looked completely lost.

Michiru spoke up. "Sailorpluto, why now, after all these years, did you agree to remind us of what happened? Besides obviously, that Sailoraurora suddenly appeared and requested it."

The senshi of time took a deep breath and replied, "Because you have to do the same thing for your children now as you did back then."

"WHAT?!" Minako screeched, "You want us to give up our powers and put our own children into danger just when a new enemy may have appeared?!"

Haruka got to her feet and said, "This conversation is over. I would never do such a thing." She motioned for her family to follow her, and all of them stood up. Umina did so grudgingly and slowly, a scowl on her face.

Ami and Rei were both shaking their heads, and Ami said, "I couldn't _possibly _let Mizumi-chan do something like be a senshi." Rei added, "Kazaki-chan is not a fighter. She would only be injured as a senshi."

"Sit down." Hotaru said quietly, but with a strong note of command behind it. "Sit down and be quiet. Setsuna-san only appears when something terrible might happen to our timeline. Do you think she makes this request lightly?"

Hotaru had grown to look like she was around eighteen, but unlike the other senshi, she had not continued to age past this point, even slowly. Growing intensely dark and silent, she had isolated herself from all of her former friends and colleagues, preferring solitude in the library. No one had managed to discover what exactly she was searching for in the massive complex, or whether or not she had found it. Her intense violet eyes fairly glowed with power, and she repeated, "I said _sit down_." Haruka and Michiru hesitated, but finally did as they were told. Umina practically jumped back into her chair, and Tensei, a sullen look on his handsome face, slouched against the wall instead.

Sailoraurora spoke up, saying, "This new enemy is immensely powerful, and nearly impossible to track. First of all, we need a group that can come and go without notice. If the guardians of the royal family kept sneaking around, people would begin to suspect something is wrong. Panicking citizens won't help us. Second of all, they're younger."

Haruka bristled, and Minako exclaimed, "Who are you calling old? I look as good now as I always have, and I'm still in _perfect_ shape!"

Aurora blinked with surprise and replied, "I didn't mean to insult you. However, it _is_ true that they are younger than yourselves. Aren't you tired of fighting by now?"

Haruka looked as if she was about to protest, but a thoughtful look crossed her face and she remained silent.

"Finally," Aurora continued, "This enemy is greater than any you have faced before, far greater. I believe that only your children have the potential to overcome the challenge that awaits."

Sailorpluto, her voice mild, said, "We should begin the transfer. We don't know how much time we have before the enemy surfaces. When it does, the children must be ready to fight." She moved to stand at the head of the table, and looked at each person sitting there one at a time.

The senshi of time placed the Time Staff directly in front of herself and released it. Still standing straight up in front of her, the Garnet Orb mounted on the top began to glow softly.

"When I tell you to, you must each call out your henshin phrase and push your power with your mind towards the children. In fact, I want you to stand up and sit opposite of your children."

Each of them shuffled until they were opposite their own respective child. With Pluto at the head, directly next to her were Hotaru facing Aikin, Minako facing Nakomi, Michiru facing Umina, Haruka facing a sullen Tensei, who was now sitting, Ami facing Mizumi, Rei facing Kazaki, who was twisting her hands with anxiety, Serenity, with Endymion standing behind her, facing Usa, and Moriko sitting alone, a lost look on her face.

"Setsuna-san?" She said quietly, tears shining in her emerald eyes, "What exactly am _I_ supposed to do?" Although Makoto's death was rarely spoken of, it was a fairly well-known fact among the queen's inner circle that the power of Jupiter had been lost at the same time Mako-chan had been.

Pluto looked at Moriko helplessly and replied, "I'm not sure there's anything you _can_ do. I don't think the power of Jupiter exists in this reality any more. Your mother...was moved somewhere else by Sailoraurora."

Moriko looked down at her lap and didn't say anything else. The mauve light began to intensify and Pluto yelled, "Now!"

"Mercury Crystal Power!" A light blue aura appeared around Ami, and she instantly reached towards Mizumi at the same time her daughter was reaching for her.

"Mars Crystal Power!" A red aura quickly appeared around Rei, and with a moment's hesitation, she reached for a reluctant Kazaki.

"Venus Crystal Power!" Minako and Nakomi moved at exactly the same time, the light gold of Venus' aura highlighting their hair beautifully.

"Uranus Planet Power!" Haruka reached out, but Tensei shut his eyes and turned his head to one side.

"Neptune Planet Power!" Umina reached out eagerly, a slightly more serene Michiru moving to clasp her daughter's hands.

"Saturn Planet Power!" A violet aura made her eyes even more vivid, and Aikin began to reach towards her.

"Moon Eternal Power!" A glowing ball of white energy appeared from Serenity's chest, forming into the ginzuishou, which resonated with energy. Usa held out her hand, and her henshin brooch appeared in it. On some unspoken signal, the children of the senshi all threw their hands into the air and yelled, "Make-UP!"

There was a multicolored flash of energy, and all of them cried out.

Mizumi's hair blew straight back for a moment. She looked down at herself with half-lidded eyes, and her clothes blew off, leaving a glowing blue circle over her chest. The light covered her entire body, and her sailorfuku appeared in shades of blue.

Kazaki's hair fanned to the sides slightly by a brush of energy. She squeezed her violet eyes shut, there was a flash, a red circle appeared over her chest, and her red and purple sailorfuku appeared.

Nakomi smiled gently, tipped her head to the side slightly. A blue circle appeared over her chest as her clothing dissolved, and in its place an orange and blue sailorfuku formed. The tie in her hair turned to red.

Umina closed her eyes gently and threw her arms out as her clothing was replaced with a dark blue brooch and then a sailorfuku in shades of dark green and blue.

Tensei, a sullen look still on his face, opened his eyes and looked down at himself almost resentfully as a suit of blue and gold armor appeared on his body.

Aikin hesitated as a violet aura surrounded him, and finally flung his hand out towards the right. An outfit of baggy pants and vest in shades of dark green, black, and red, appeared after a slightly delay.

Usa smiled knowingly as the ginzuishou absorbed into her henshin brooch, and she transformed first into Sailormoon, and then into Supersailormoon. Her sailorfuku was a scheme of blue and silver.

"What have you _done_?!"

"What?" Michiru looked around sharply. Meiou Setsuna looked down at herself with shock. Her face paled, her eyes rolled back in her head, and she collapsed.

"Setsuna-san!" Neo-Queen Serenity sprang from her chair and quickly knelt down by the fallen woman. Endymion narrowed his eyes and murmured, "Where did her fuku go?" Michiru and Haruka quickly moved to their friend's side, and Hotaru glanced casually at the floor and then at Aikin.

"What is your name?" She asked him quietly.

Minako's son blinked with surprise and whispered, "It's...I'm...Guardian Pluto."

"I thought so." Hotaru nodded her head and at the fallen Setsuna and to get the attention of everyone in the room, said, "Aino Aikin has taken the power of Pluto rather than that of Saturn. I suspected he might, simply because my power cannot be effectively passed from one holder to the next. I have always been Sailorsaturn, and," she sighed lightly, "It is likely I will be Sailorsaturn for _many_ years to come. I suspect Setsuna-san didn't expect to lose her own powers in the transfer."

Sailoraurora shimmered slightly, and her fuku faded, leaving her in a loose lavender blouse and a pair of blue jeans. Her earrings hadn't faded, and seemed to glow with a mysterious inner light, despite the fact that they were pitch black. Sailormoon decided to follow her lead, and she shimmered momentarily, her fuku faded, and Usa-chan stood in her place. On some unspoken signal, the rest of the senshi shimmered, their civilian forms returning to them.

"What now?" Usa said softly. Aurora paused for a moment and said, "First of all, I guess I should scout the city and see if I can find traces of the enemy." She turned and begin to walk out the door.

"Wait!" Nakomi called, she opened her mouth and then shut it abruptly. Finally, she blinked with mild confusion and said, "What should we call you when you aren't a senshi?"

Aurora looked down at herself with amusement and murmured, "Not a senshi. This is the first time in...so _many_ years." She sighed heavily, her face becoming an unreadable mask as she was lost deep in thought. Finally, visibly shaking herself from the mood, she looked back up at them and said, "My name is Namidano Ame."

Tensei blinked, but quickly masked his surprise, murmuring, "What a _name_." (Namidano Ame breaks down into "Rain of Tears")

Umina elbowed him in the side and said, "Can't we come with you? We want to help crush the new enemy. That's why we became Sailor senshi after all."

Mizumi, lost deep in thought, suddenly said, "Why is your name Sailoraurora? The rest of us carry the name of the planet or celestial body we hail from. Is Aurora a planet?"

Ame looked surprised but softly said, "No. Aurora's not a planet. It's a place. It's the space between realities."

Tensei, quick to absorb new information, said, "Is that what makes travel between realities possible?"

"Yes." Ame nodded and elaborated. "The Aurora is sort of like a barrier of water. When I want it to be, I can make it as easy to pass through as a cloud of steam. This makes travel between realities very easy. Likewise, if I want to make things difficult for someone, I make the Aurora very hard to travel through, like ice."

"So," Moriko said softly, "What happened when you suddenly appeared in Usa-chan's lap? I'm assuming you were trying to make the Aurora impassable, and couldn't make the ice strong enough."

Ame nodded, her face downcast. "Right again. The new enemy blew by me so quickly I didn't have time to block it. I caught the tail end of the enemy as it passed through into this reality, but it didn't trap them as I expected. Instead, they took that piece of the Aurora I trapped them with and hung onto it."

"You mean, they grabbed the gateway?" Kazaki looked slightly confused.

"Yes. By holding onto that bit of the Aurora, they're forcing it to stay open. I can't close it unless I can free it from their grip. If they keep that piece, there will be nothing to stop anyone or anything from jumping into other realities. I was forced to come here, in hopes that you would be able to help me free that piece. Once I have it back, I'll be free to return to my post and guard the Aurora from any more invaders."

Nakomi said, "Won't they stop themselves from going any further as long as they're holding onto the Aurora? I mean, how far can they go with something like that?"

"Unfortunately," Ame said softly, "There is no limit on the distance the Aurora can be stretched. The second they slip between realities, all of it becomes the same. They're holding a piece, but not any one specific piece."

Usa indicated that she was completely lost, and Ame smiled gently, saying, "Basically, what all this means, is that they can go pretty much wherever they want, and until we stop them, the Aurora is a danger to everyone, _everywhere_."

Usa bit her lip for a minute, thought quietly, and finally said, "We have to get rid of them as soon as possible. There could be pure havoc if this new enemy decides they want to play games with different realities. Billions of people could be destroyed if the enemy decides to harm a reality. We have no choice but to track them down and stop them."

"Agreed." Tensei said quietly.

Usa blinked, and looked up at him with surprise.

He shrugged and smirked at her, saying, "Come on. I'm not so heartless that I would want a bunch of innocents wiped out of existence."

Umina immediately jumped in with, "Yeah! We should get started right now! The sooner we leave, the sooner we can kick some serious a-"

Aikin clapped a hand over her mouth, and the final word was muffled. Nakomi snickered and Tensei shot her a dirty look. He grabbed Aikin's arm, who released Umina and lunged at Tensei. The new guardian of Uranus rose to meet the challenge, and Umina grabbed at Aikin, trying to restrain him. Nakomi, with a cry of rage, pounced on Umina and yanked her away from her brother.

"You stupid brat!" Umina spat, "Let go of me! They're going to kill each other!"

"That's your fault!" Nakomi shrieked, "You're the one with the foul mouth!" Moriko grabbed Nakomi and tried to lever her off of Umina. Usa sighed heavily and mumbled, "Just like old times."

Ame looked at them with shock and said, "They're _always_ like this?"

Usa dropped her head down and replied, "Only on the good days. Just pray you'll never see them on a bad day."

"Let _go_!"

"You stupid-"

"Try and-"

"You're such a spoiled, selfish-"

Usa sighed again. "Just like the old days. And think. This is what I _wanted_."


	4. The Enemy Surfaces

**Chapter Three**

**The Enemy Surfaces, Sailor Team, Transform!**

_"They could look like anything. I couldn't see them that well. I was being attacked on all sides at that point. There was definitely more than one, though, so keep your eyes peeled for anything suspicious."_

Usa sighed and rolled her eyes. It was obvious that Ame had no concept of how big Crystal Tokyo actually was. Looking for "something suspicious" would be hard enough. Finding the right people _being_ suspicious was next to impossible. It had already been over a week since the senshi of realities had appeared, and the enemy hadn't shown its face at all during that time.

"Usa-chan?" Tensei's voice came from her wrist, and she glanced around carefully before stepping into an alley and flipping the top of her communicator open. Tensei's upper body appeared, his expression one of concentration as he gazed at the screen of a computer.

"Yes."

"I'm sending you our latest results. I think this area might be where the enemy most recently was. Mizumi's sending the results out to the two Ainos, and Kazaki is already nearby. Umina, Mizumi, and I will meet you there in ten minutes."

"Okay."

Between the two of them, Mizumi and Tensei had completely redesigned the old communicators. As opposed to giving just a visual picture, they were capable of projecting three dimensional images, allowed visual and audio contact, lines of text for data sharing, and teleportation of small objects. Tensei's image nodded and vanished.

Usa's communicator, silver with a blue crescent moon on it, began humming softly, and moments later a map of the city projected itself from her wrist. She looked at it carefully before saying, "I know this place! That's right where the beach is..."

She smiled slightly and added, "Even if the enemy isn't there, we can always hang out for awhile in the sun!"

0

"So?" Umina tapped her foot impatiently as Mizumi typed rapidly on her computer for a moment. The blue-haired girl finally said, "I'm not picking up any more unusual energy waves. The enemy may be lying low in hopes to avoid detection."

"Well then!" Nakomi exclaimed, "We'll just have to stay here until they show up, right?" She opened the huge duffel bag slung over her shoulder and whipped out an orange bikini top. "Ta-da! Does anyone else want to go swimming?"

Umina had already pulled out two bathing suits, one a shimmering, one-piece blue, and the other a dark green bikini. She held them up for Aikin's inspection and coyly said, "Which do you like better?"

Aikin blushed lightly and mumbled something under his breath. Nakomi stopped in mid-bounce, her cheerful expression vanishing, and grabbed Aikin by the arm.

"Come on, Aikin. I think you need to go get changed." She pushed him towards the changing area, and turning sideways he protested, "Nako-chan, I don't have a suit! _Some_ of us came here to work!"

His sister rolled her eyes and shoved him again, pulled out dark green swim trunks and tossing them in his face. "There you go. Now get moving." With a final backwards look at Umina, he trudged away.

Tensei's hand snapped out and grabbed the bikini from his sister. "Wear the other one."

Umina snatched at her stolen suit and protested, "I _want_ to wear _that_ one. It'll look better on me!"

"They'll both look fine."

"But that one matches Aikin's suit!"

"I know." He stared at her for a long moment, and with a final shrug she admitted defeat. As she turned to walk away, she snapped her fingers and opened her own beach bag. "Here," she said, tossing him a dark blue suit, "I knew you'd forget yours."

Usa glanced around. Mizumi had already disappeared, probably to change, and Nakomi had scampered after Aikin. The twins were walking away, and that left Kazaki-chan. The girl was standing slightly apart from where the others had been, and Usa quietly walked over.

"Kazaki-chan? Did you forget your bathing suit?" The timid girl jumped and then smiled shyly at Usa.

"No. I have one. It's just...well...I don't think it will look very good on me. Umina-san and Nakomi-chan had such beautiful outfits..." She trailed off and finally added, "I don't think I feel much like swimming anyway."

Usa frowned. Although she herself had been nearly as timid Kazaki not long ago, there was something almost wounded about the other girl that bothered Usa deeply. However, rather than let her concern show, Usa forced a cheerful smile on her face and grabbed Kazaki by the shoulder.

"Don't be silly! I'm sure it's fine!"

Kazaki shook her head violently, and Usa dove into the bag slung over the senshi of fire's shoulder.

"Yeh." Looking at the frightening apparition clutched in her hand, Usa whispered, "_This_ is your bathing suit?" A blinding mix of yellow, lime green, and purple, the suit was made worse by numerous bright orange ruffles sewn all around it. Kazaki blushed scarlet and bobbed her head.

"Yes. My aunt made it. My dad's a fashion designer you know, so being his sister, she thought she would try her hand at designing too. She's been sending me all these outfits lately, and Dad insists that I wear them at least once. When he heard I was going to be at the beach today, he forced me to take it." Kazaki was obviously struggling not to cry, and Usa hugged her tightly.

"Don't worry. I'm sure we can find you something!"

"Try this one. I just bought it." Both girls looked up in time to see Namidano Ame standing in front of them. She was wearing a beautiful indigo, strapless one-piece suit with a thick black stripe up the center, had fashionable sunglasses perched on her nose, and was proffering a swath of lavender material. Kazaki tentatively took the material from the other girl and looked at it with amazement.

"I can't wear this!"

"Why not?" Usa peered at the material and added, "It's amazing, Kazaki-chan. I'm sure it'll look fantastic on you!"

"But...but....it's so _small_!"

Ame laughed lightly and said, "It's not as small as it looks. Go ahead. Try it on."

Kazaki, still looking hesitant, wandered off in the direction of the changing area.

Ame sighed and said, "She's so fragile. Are her parents bad?"

Usa looked at her with surprise and answered, "No! Of course not. Well...her father goes away on business a lot, but her mother is Nichino Rei! The old Sailormars. She's a wonderful woman."

"Yes," Ame said softly, "But is she a good _mother_? A person with a healthy self-image and childhood shouldn't be as closed off as Kazaki-chan is."

Usa, feeling that Rei was being unfairly attacked, snapped, "How would you know? You've been locked inside the Aurora for a zillion years. How do you know _anything_ about how a normal person should act?"

Ame flushed and fell silent. Usa felt a momentary rush of triumph, but that was soon overridden but a wave of guilt. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have-"

"No, that's okay. You're right. I _don't_ know how a normal person would act." There was a tense moment of awkward silence that was blessedly relieved when Nakomi came racing up.

"Usa-chan! Ame-chan! What do you guys think?!"

Nakomi skidded to a halt, spraying their legs with sand, and struck a pose. She winked and held one arm over her head, the other on her hip.

"Ta-dah! The ever-fantastic, Aino Nakomi!"

"Amazing, Nakomi-chan! What a pretty bikini!" Usa ran over and examined it from all angles, a wide grin on her face. Ame stayed where she was, a slightly sad smile on her face.

"If you don't look a little happier, people are going to think there's something the matter with you."

Ame jumped, startled, and turned to face Hotaru. She was wearing a large sun hat, sunglasses, a long sleeved shirt, and black pants. The white-haired girl raised one eyebrow and asked, "Aren't you hot?" Instead of answering directly, Hotaru quietly said, "The sun doesn't agree with me."

Ame shrugged, and the two watched the rest of the senshi return.

Aikin came out with a towel slung over one shoulder and Nakomi's bag over the other. Umina raced out and threw her arms around his shoulders, knocking him to the ground and spilling Nakomi's things all over the ground. Luckily, the blond was too busy preening for Usa, and failed to notice. Tensei emerged wearing a thin pair of black sunglasses and carrying Umina's bag slung over his shoulder. He strode right by the pair, and Umina stopped laughing to watch him. Her mouth moved as she called her brother, and when he didn't respond she clambered to her feet and chased him, leaving Aikin to pick everything up by himself. Kazaki reappeared, holding a red towel closely around herself. Usa stopped raving about Nakomi's suit and looked up at Kazaki.

"So?" She called, jogging over, "Does it fit?" Kazaki blushed a crimson that nearly matched her towel and murmured, "Like I said before; it's a little small."

"Let me see! It's probably fine."

After a moment's hesitation, Kazaki let the towel fall to the sand. Usa caught her breath and murmured, "Wow! Kazaki-chan, you look wonderful!"

The suit was a one piece, but only because there were thin straps connecting the top and bottom running along either side. The lavender had an iridescent sheen that they hadn't noticed when she had been simply holding it, and the sun lit up her outfit like a prism. There was a thin strap over the left shoulder, but the other was bare. On the right hip of the bottom half, a small symbol of Mars was embroidered in violet. Kazaki blushed and said, "Do you really think I look okay?"

Usa nodded emphatically and said, "Definitely! I wish _I_ looked that good in a bathing suit! Oh! I forget! I still have to change! Ame-chan and Hotaru-san are right over there, so if you want, you can go stand with them. I think Tensei may have gone to find us a free place on the sand, but it's pretty crowded, so you might have a hard time finding him..."

Kazaki nodded weakly and Usa shrugged, adding as she ran off, "I'm sure you'll find someone!"

Kazaki smiled thoughtfully and fingered the symbol on her waist, murmuring, "Now, _why_ would Ame-san buy a bathing suit with the symbol of Mars on it?"

0

Usa sighed with contentment as she basked in the sun, and murmured, "If this is all it takes to be a senshi, I know my chosen profession!"

Tensei snorted from the shade of his beach umbrella but didn't say anything. Completely oblivious to the admiring looks he was getting from passing girls, he was deeply absorbed in a thick book.

Ame sat with her legs crossed and her eyes closed, her thick braid flung behind her carelessly. Hotaru was perched on the edge of the massive blanket they were all sharing, watching everyone who walked by with suspicion. She had managed to acquire her own beach umbrella from somewhere, and seemed to disappear into its shade.

Aikin, Nakomi, Mizumi, Kazaki, and Umina were all in the water, playing some sort of game that involved a lot of chasing and screaming. Nakomi's screams of laughter suddenly turned genuine, and moments later a massive tidal wave swept over them. Usa sat up quickly and counted the heads of her senshi.

"Mizumi, Umina, Aikin, Kazaki,....where's Nakomi-chan?!" Aikin had apparently come to the same conclusion, and was scanning the area with a frantic look on his face.

"Nako-chan? Nako! Nako-chan!!!" Taking a deep breath, he plunged under the surface.

"Nakomi-chan? Where are you?" Umina quickly followed Aikin and dove into the water. Mizumi and Kazaki stayed on the surface, scanning the heads of all of those around them.

"Nakomi-chan? Are you okay? Nakomi-chan?" All around them, people were surfacing and choking, but none of them were the blond haired senshi of love. Tensei was now on his feet, scanning the area with a worried look. Kazaki closed her eyes momentarily, took a deep, slow breath, and disappeared under the water.

0

_How strange, _She thought quietly, _It's so _light_ down here._

Under the water, everything shone with a soft, aqua light, and Kazaki squinted to see through it. _I have to hurry. She's already been down here too long._

She relaxed slightly and allowed her senses to extend. Using her maximum capabilities, the senshi of fire finally sensed distressed to her left.

0

"Aikin!" Umina called as the two surfaced, "Over there! The ocean is restless over there!" He didn't reply, but dove through the water in the direction Umina had pointed.

0

_ What's this light? It's not _right_. There's something down here with me!_

She hesitated.

Kazaki had no urge to face an enemy by herself, but at the same time felt obligated to try and help Nakomi-chan.

_I'm on my own. I can't be a coward._

0

Nakomi gasped as her head broke the surface.

"Are you okay? Nakomi-chan?" As she coughed weakly, Nakomi realized that she was in the arms of someone. A woman with bright red hair tied back in a ponytail that managed to be bushy even though it was wet was looked down at her. Nakomi blinked weakly and managed to absorb a bright red bikini top that attached at the neck and left a perfect circle of skin showing just above the woman's chest.

Nakomi spluttered, and struggled slightly. The woman cautiously set her down in the water, and after a moment of panicked drifting, Nakomi's feet found the sandy bottom. The woman stayed at her side as she struggled to the shore, and put her arm around the the girl's shoulder when she collapsed to the sand, wheezing.

"Thanks," Nakomi said weakly, "I thought I was going to drown!" The woman sat down in the sand next to her, released her shoulders, and patted her gently on the back.

"Sorry! I think the wave that hit you was our fault." Remembering for the first time that the sailor team had come to the beach searching for the new enemy, Nakomi looked at the stranger warily and replied, "What? What do you mean?"

The woman smiled weakly and replied, "My sister and I came too close to the shore. Our boat was kicking up more waves than we expected."

Nakomi, her plight and vague misgivings of danger forgotten, exclaimed, "You have a _boat?!_ Wow!" The woman's face lit up, and caught in the younger girl's enthusiasm, she bubbled, "Would you like to take a ride with us? It's big enough for us to take passengers with us."

"Okay! Can I-"

"Nako-chan!" Aikin's voice stopped her in mid-sentence, and she turned to face her brother just as he was scooping her up in his arms. "You _scared_ me! Don't ever do that again!"

She hugged him weakly and dryly replied, "Being sucked under the water wasn't my first choice."

He hugged her more tightly and whispered, "Don't _ever_ do that again." Suddenly realizing that her brother was shaking violently, Nakomi wrapped her arms around his neck and said, "I won't. I promise." He released her and gazed at her seriously with an intense, green-eyed stare.

"Do you really mean that?"

She laughed gently, trying to lighten his mood and answered, "Of course! Why would I want to almost drown again?" She laughed again, and this time, her brother joined her. Moments later, Umina, Mizumi, Usa, Tensei all came running up.

"Nakomi-chan!" Mizumi called, "Are you okay?" Nakomi jumped away from Aikin and waved her arm wildly, yelling, "Just fine!!!"

0

_That's strange...the energy...that feeling of _wrongness_...it's gone._

Kazaki shook her head, and with a puzzled frown turned and swam towards the surface.

0

Nakomi beamed, enjoying every second of attention she was receiving, and smirked at Tensei.

"I see you managed to wander on over here to see if I was all right."

He shrugged nonchalantly and replied, "_Actually_, I was coming over to tell you to get your junk off of my blanket. You're cluttering all the space." He tossed a towel in her general direction and looked towards the ocean, a cool look on his face, his eyes hidden by his sunglasses. She wrapped the soft material around herself and smirked in his general direction, the warm look in her eyes denying what her face was saying. Ame and Hotaru had silently joined the crowd.

"I'm glad you're okay, Nakomi-chan," the white-haired girl said quietly. Hotaru opened her mouth to added something when the woman who had rescued Nakomi suddenly spoke up.

"There's my sister...Kori-chan! Over here!" The redhead waved her arms furiously, and a girl with a one piece, light yellow bathing suit came running up. The group gaped, and the two women started to laugh. The two women were identical save for the fact that Kori's hair and eyes were a pale yellow where her sister's were red and that her bathing suit had a triangle cut-out at the top instead of a circle. The red-haired woman said, "I guess we should make our introductions?" Her sister nodded, and the redhead spoke again.

"I'm Korino Kamiko." The yellow haired woman nodded and said, "And I'm Kano Korimiko."

Umina frowned and blurted, "Aren't you two twins? How can you have different last names?"

Kamiko and Korimiko looked at each other and smiled secretively. Umina cocked her head to one side, and after a moment, Kori quieted said, "I'm sure it seems odd, but we're only half-sisters. We were born at the same time, but to different mothers."

"Half sisters." Kamiko replied emphatically.

Everyone paused awkwardly, unsure what to say next, and Tensei shifted with a moment of impatience. It was obvious that he was satisfied everyone was unharmed and wanted to get back to his reading.

Kazaki crept up behind Usa and whispered, "Usa-chan? Can I talk to you for a minute? Something strange just happened."

Usa turned and said, "Kazaki-chan! Where have you been all this time? We were just meeting-"

"Usa-chan, _please._ This is very important." Usa stopped abruptly, her mouth falling open slightly. Kazaki rarely interrupted, but the serious look on her face made the princess pause.

"Okay. Just let me say thank you once more. Then, we can go back to the blanket and talk." Kazaki nodded, and hovered anxiously.

"And she said you can come too! _Pu-leeze_, Aikin? Because I don't want to go by myself?"

"Well..." Aikin hesitated as Nakomi continued to pull on his arm, and continued, "I don't know that it's such a good time to go too far from shore right now..." He gave her a meaningful look, but Nakomi looked at the sky with innocence and exclaimed, "What are you talking about? It's a _beautiful_ day! Nothing will happen!"

He sighed heavily and muttered, "That's _not_ what I meant. What I mean is; I think we should stay with the others, you know?" She shook her head and replied, "You're being silly, and you're embarrassing me in front of Kori-san and Kamiko-san."

He sighed again and said, "I'll only go if Umina and Hotaru come with us." Nakomi clearly wanted to protest, but decided against it at the last second. She shrugged and turned to talk to the two sisters.

A wordless communication passed between Hotaru and Aikin, and she nodded slightly, saying, "Let me just get my hat and bag. I wouldn't want to...sunburn."

Usa, seeing that Kori was busy with Nakomi, turned instead to Kamiko and said, "Thank you, Korino-san. We owe your sister Nakomi-chan's life."

Kamiko laughed lightly and said, "I doubt the situation was quite _that_ grave, but I accept your gratitude all the same. If you'd like to come for a ride later, feel free to stop by the docks. Especially if _he_," she nodded in Tensei's direction, "would like to come. Brooding men are just my type, and his fantastic looks only adds to the catch."

She winked at Tensei, who turned his nose up coolly and looked away. She shrugged at Usa, who was blushing, and added, "You can't blame a girl for trying."

The group made their farewells as Hotaru arrived back from the blanket with her bag and Kazaki fairly danced with agitation. Usa waved one last time to Nakomi-chan before saying, "All right! All right! Let's go back to the blanket. Hurry. Once you tell me what's going on, we can get to the bottom of it."

0

Usa her face serious, bit her lip as Kazaki talked.

"I could _feel_ that there was something wrong! I swear! There was something down there. I started to move towards it, and it just vanished!"

Tensei, a thoughtful look on his face, said, "It might be that the enemy carelessly let their guard down, giving you time to see them, and didn't realize you were a sailor senshi until you got closer. That would explain why the energy suddenly disappeared."

Mizumi added, "It could also be that they're trying to lure us out into the water to investigate and then plan to attack us out of our element, or attack the people on the shore."

Usa turned to look at the newcomer and said, Ame-chan? What do you think? You're the only one who's ever encountered them before."

The girl shrugged helplessly and replied, "The only time I've ever had contact with them is when they ambushed me. They didn't give me a lot of time to observe them."

"What should we do, Usa-chan?" Kazaki looked at her leader with complete trust, and Usa felt herself start to panic.

_What do I do? What do I do? If I choose the wrong thing, people will suffer. I hate having to lead! I never should have been the leader!_

Her internal debate was solved when the water began to boil and froth. Screaming people fled towards the shore, but not all of them escaped. Two teenage girls and a man in his late twenties suddenly flew in the air as aqua colored tentacles wrapped around their waists and shot skywards. All three screamed, which only hurried the footsteps of those running away. In less the a minute the beach had cleared. Multicolored blankets and umbrellas were the only things remaining to show that people had been there at all.

Tensei was on his feet, a slender blue wand with a golden, diamond-shaped top inscribed with the symbol of Uranus, in his hand. Usa looked to Mizumi, who was looking at her computer. She looked up, nodded to her leader, and softly said, "The coast is clear." A silver brooch appeared in the air.

"Everyone! Transform now!"


	5. There Are No Second Chances

**Chapter Four**

**There Are No Second Chances, The Glitter of Mizumi-chan's Memory**

"Silver Moon Power!"

"Mercury Crystal Power!"

"Mars Crystal Power!"

"Uranus Planet Power!"

"Aurora Existence Power!"

Together they shouted, "Make-UP!"

The transformations were quick, but by the time they were finished the screaming above them had stopped, the victims now hanging loosely in the grasp of the slimy tentacles, and Sailormoon called, "We've got to hurry!"

"Heaven Strike!" The Heaven Sword burst with a blinding light that ran all the way up Uranus' arms, fanning his dark hair with energy. The massive blast of golden light flared directly from the sword moments after the words of the attack phrase left his lips. The green tentacles were scorched, and with a burst of bubbles and a scream from the center of them, one of the girls fell to the ground with a thud.

Sailormars, slightly pale, ran towards the freed captive, only to nearly be crushed by a falling tentacle. She screamed and covered her head with her arms, but kept running.

"Sailormars! No! We've got to-" Sailormoon jumped to the side, narrowly avoiding the massive bulk of another green tentacle. She blanched as the slimy green mass felt around blindly in the sand, and quickly slid away.

0

"Wow!" Nakomi shouted happily over the roar of the engine, "This is so great! You guys are so _lucky_ to have a boat!" Kori smiled at her and whispered, "I don't think your brother is having a very good time." Nakomi glanced over her shoulder at Aikin, who gazing out at the ocean, an unreadable look on his face. The girl shrugged and said, "He's just tense because he thinks we're not working."

"Working? What do you do?" Kori gave her a friendly smile, and didn't seem to notice when Nakomi tensed up.

_Oops. Almost let the cat out of the bag that time. I'd better be careful. The enemy _is_ somewhere near the beach..._

"Nothing much," she replied as casually as possible, "He's working on a project...for school...Something about studying human behavior I think. I dunno. It didn't seem that interesting to me, but it gave me an excuse to go to the beach!" She flashed a brilliant smile, and Kori laughed.

_Whew. That was close. I have to be more careful. I've barely been a senshi at all and I almost gave our identities away!_

Spray from the rushing water gently hit her face, and Nakomi took a deep breath, forgetting her worries.

_I'll think about work when we're back at the shore...This is too much fun to miss!_

0

Standing over the fallen girl protectively, Sailormars held her hands out at waist length, palms facing up, and twin balls of flame appeared in either hand. The balls fanned out to encase her hands, which she brought to her face. Softly blowing the tiny flames covering her hands, the separate fires combined into one flame. She blew gently again, and the glowing orb of fire flew out of her hands and drifted over her head like a leaf in the wind. Mars glanced up at, an almost content look on her face. Suddenly, her head snapped down, and she glared at the creatures. The orb of fire flared brightly and rapidly began to grow larger.

"HYPNOTIC FLAMES!" The orb, still floating above her, shot towards the tentacle chasing Sailormoon along the sand. The water in the center of the tentacles frothed again as the ball of fire scorched all up and down the green limb, turning it black and foul smelling. Sailormoon scrambled away from the smoking mess, which still twitched in her direction every few seconds. Uranus leveled another blast of energy at the numerous surviving tentacles, and the bubbling in the center grew frantic for a few seconds.

Sailormoon held her hands above her head, palms facing up, and the silver hilt of the Lunar Blade appeared above her. She grasped the familiar handle firmly, admiring the beautiful winding patterns of roses and falcons engraved in it, and tipping it slightly to one side to look at the gleaming white blade. Shining with an inner light nearly identical to moonlight, the Lunar Blade was a powerful tool. She lunged forward, bringing the blade down during her jump and putting all of her body weight behind the strike. The momentum carried her into one of the thicker tentacles, and helped her in cutting it halfway through. A column of water shot up from the center of the tentacles, and the man who had been suspended in the air fell to the ground in an unconscious heap. Sailormercury hung back indecisively, her face a mask of helplessness.

_I can't get close enough to attack! My attack will only work at close range..._

She watched the battle carefully as Moon, Mars, and Uranus all attacked again. More tentacles than before shot up from the water all around them, and Mercury felt hopelessness sinking in.

_We aren't strong enough by ourselves. Even if I called the others...by the time they got here, it would be to late!_

"Splitting Confusion!"

Mercury turned her head in time to see a beam of star-shaped indigo energy shoot out of Aurora's staff, the Eternal Star, and into the monster. The beam was obviously much more powerful than it looked, for everywhere the light touched, the tentacles shriveled and died. Unfortunately, an instant later, twice as many swarmed from the water to take the places of those destroyed.

"This is hopeless..." the senshi of water murmured softly. "Unless..." Her eyes lit up with understanding.

"Everyone!" She called, "I know how to beat it! Cover me!" None of them hesitated, and Mercury sprinted towards the water's edge, knowing that if she was wrong it was certain death.

"Heaven Strike!"

"Hypnotic Flame!"

"Splitting Confusion!"

Sailormoon darted between tentacles hacking at anything that held still for even a second.

At the spot where the water began to lap at the shore, Sailormercury took one deep breath and stepped forward. Instead of her boots sinking into the water, the water underneath them froze instantly, becoming a walkway of ice. Every step forward she took, another section of water would freeze, leaving a pathway of ice behind her. Without turning around or hesitating, she stepped into the frothing mass of bubbles that made up the monster's core. It was like stepping into steam. The second her foot left the ice, she vanished from sight.

"Why?" Sailormoon murmured, "How _could_ she?" Although the senshi of water, Mercury couldn't _breathe_ under the water, and her decision to drop right on top of the creature seemed unavoidably fatal.

Uranus looked at the spot Mercury had disappeared and murmured, "Why did she _do_ that? What did she hope to accomplish?" His face held a look of intense concentration, and it was obvious he was trying to puzzle out what he himself had missed but Sailormercury had seen.

Sailoraurora, her eyes sad, murmured, "Brave girl. A noble sacrifice."

"What is _that_?" Sailormars pointed towards the monster, where, all around the tentacles, the water had begun to glow blue.

"Mercury," Sailormoon breathed, hope coming back into her face. The light climbed from the water and into the tentacles, which began to freeze. The light traveled up them rapidly, leaving a trail of ice behind it. The center began to froth furiously, and the last captive, another teenage girl, was thrown free to the ground. The last of the tentacles were encased in ice, the bubbles began to die down, the center froze over, and slowly, the light began to fade.

Each of the senshi stared at the hideous ice sculpture with revulsion, Sailormoon with tears running down her face. She took a shaky step forward and threw her arms up defensively as the ice covering the core shattered. Sailormercury, encased in a blue globe, gently floated into the air. Her arms were crossed over her chest, with her legs bent partially behind her. Her head was tipped forward slightly, and her eyes shut. The globe floated slowly but steadily to the shore, and her legs straightened. For the first time, they could see the symbol of Mercury glowing brilliantly on her forehead. As her boots touched the sand, the globe flickered and faded, leaving the senshi of water standing on her own. As her hair drifted down around her, she opened her eyes slowly. Unfocused and pupiless, she seemed to look right through Sailormoon, who was holding her shoulders and crying.

"Mizumi-chan? Are you okay? Mizumi-chan?"

"Could it be that whatever she saw within that creature shattered her mind?" Sailoraurora was speaking mostly to herself, but Mercury apparently heard her. Her mouth moved soundlessly for a second, as though she was repeating something she had heard Aurora say, and then she shut her eyes again. She shook her head slightly, as if to clear it, and when she reopened her eyes they were clear and conscious. She clasped Sailormoon's hands gently with her own and said, "Don't worry. I'm fine. But..." she nodded her head slightly towards the ocean, "you've got to finish things up here. We can't leave something like that just sitting there."

Sailormoon nodded tearfully and replied, "Right."

Sailormoon, the Lunar Blade in her right hand, spun in a circle once, bringing the sword up near her chest. Then, in one fluid motion, she used the blade to trace a silver circle along around her in the ground. Bracing her legs, she leaned forward slightly, now holding the weapon directly in front of her with both hands. Silver energy began to gather all along the blade and the edges of the circle, and her hair fanned to the sides. Silver energy poured from the circle, and the blade sang with power in her hands. She raised it over her and then quickly brought it slashing down again, shouting, "Shining Radiance!" The creature, still encased in ice, burst into silver light, each facet of ice illuminating, and vanished.

With Aurora standing slightly apart, and Sailormars running to check on the newest girl released from the tentacles, Sailormoon and Uranus Knight moved to talk to Sailormercury.

"Mercury..." Moon breathed with amazement, "Your fuku changed!" It was true. Anywhere it had been a darker blue, now looked like it had been dusted with a handful of fine silver glitter, and it sparkly slightly every time Mercury shifted. She gazed at them for a moment in complete silence, her face unreadable. Finally, tears welling up in her eyes, she whispered, "I _remember_! _Everything_! Going through the Labyrinth, fighting the Divine One, and–" she paused and looked at Sailormoon soulfully, "When I first became Sailormercury."

Sailormoon's heart jumped.

_She remembers being my friend! Mizumi-chan..._ The girls simultaneously moved to embrace, and Uranus Knight turned his head to one side, not wishing to interrupt their reunion. The moment was shattered by Sailormars' cry of dismay.

"She...she's _dead!_" Holding the girl partially in her lap, the senshi of fire looked up at the others with shock and repeated, "She's dead. Her energy's been completely drained from her body. There's....nothing we can do."

"What?" Releasing Sailormercury, Sailormoon felt herself growing faint. Uranus squeezed her shoulder reassuringly, but was looking at the victimized girl. He let go of Sailormoon and looked to Aurora.

"Well?" He said grimly, "Does this seem like the enemy that attacked you?" She nodded mutely, her eyes sad. Uranus continued with, "In all the time our parents were senshi, no one innocent was ever killed. Despite numerous attacks on the city and the world, no one ever died. Now, in our first battle, we can't protect three people." He laughed bitterly and said, "What does that say about our ability?"

"Uranus," Aurora said softly, taking a step towards him, "It doesn't say anything. I _told_ you. The enemy we're facing is ruthless and vile and cruel." She mirrored him with a bitter laugh of her own and added, "Do you know what will happen if they travel through too many realities while still holding onto the Aurora?" Without waiting for a response, she answered, "It will collapse. Everything. All the realities will cave in on themselves, and _everything_ will die. There are no second chances." She indicated the fallen girl with one hand and said, "Like her. Your parents had a chance to always go back and heal people, make things right. In the end, they always had more than one attempt to get things right."

She shook her head.

"The time for games has ended. There are no practice shots, no warm-ups, and _no second chances._ They're playing for keeps, and we have to as well."

She looked at Sailormoon and said, "Your grandmother and mother were too merciful. They were always searching for the good in their enemies. There is no good in the enemy we face. If you hesitate to strike when the time comes, we're all going to die. Do you understand?"

Sailormoon was shaken by the seriousness of the other senshi's words, but she nodded slowly.

_I have to do whatever it takes to make sure things turn out okay for everyone... But do I have the strength of heart to kill for the people I care about?_

She bit her lip and kept the thought to herself. Pushing it to the back of her mind, she vowed to think about it as little as possible. Truthfully, she was afraid of what the answer would be.

"What are we going to do with the body? We can't just leave her _lying_ here..." Sailormars looked to the others for an answer, her hands shaking violently.

Sailoraurora hesitated a moment before saying, "I can...dispose of her...if none of you mind."

Sailormoon looked a little green, and Uranus said, "How? If you just leave her somewhere the police may trace it back to you. If they start asking uncomfortable questions, we'll be in the spotlight and never get _anything_ done."

Aurora responded, "I'd use the Eternal Star and my own aura. The police can't track me." She turned to the dark-haired girl and said, "Sailormoon? What do you want me to do?"

The young leader buried her face in her hands and replied, "I don't know! We shouldn't have to do things like _this_! What about her family? They'll never know what happened to her. They'll spend the rest of their lives wondered if someone took her and she was waiting for them to save her."

"Actually," Aurora said calmly, "They won't remember her. I can take her from this reality and erase her existence."

"What?!" Sailormoon looked at her with shock and shouted, "That's _horrible!_ What kind of person are you? If you erase her, her entire life will have been for nothing! Everything she ever accomplished will just be gone! How can you be so heartless?"

Aurora, confused by the sudden outburst, stammered, "I thought that's what you _wanted_...I mean, you don't want her family to worry do you?"

"Disappearing all together seems like a fate worse than death to me," Uranus said quietly.

Sailoraurora shook her head as she said, "I don't understand you. If you don't want her family to worry, but you don't want me to remove her, how exactly do you plan on solving this?"

"I don't know," Sailormoon said passionately, "But not like that. It isn't right. Not like that."

0

"Ame-chan!" Nakomi said cheerfully, "Smile!" The older girl turned on her side, giving the other girl a full shot of her body, and smiled tolerantly. The camera whirring for a minute and the blond flashed her a winning smile.

"Thank you!"

Ame pushed her sunglasses up from where they had slipped partially down her nose and dropped back down onto the blanket.

"Doesn't she _ever_ run out of energy?" Tensei muttered softly to himself. Umina laughed and whispered, "No. Haven't you figured that out by now?" Nakomi shot them a dirty look; she knew who they were most likely talking about. Umina stuck her tongue out the second the blond turned her back, and Aikin made a scolding noise in his throat. Umina looked at him, winked, and shrugged.

"Smile, Kazaki-chan!"

Ame shut her eyes, enjoying the feeling of the sun on her body and thought, _Forgive me, Usa, Tensei, Kazaki. I didn't want to upset you. But, sometimes, certain things have to be done. That girl had to be disposed of. I wanted to obey your wishes, to do what you asked of me. But...how can I do something that won't bring about the best results? Everything would have become so complicated if I hadn't erased her. Some choices don't belong in the hands of the majority. Still..._

Ame squirmed for a second, feeling guilty.

_I wish I didn't feel so dirty. I did the right thing, didn't I? _She thought carefully about it for a moment before pausing, a slight smile appearing on her lips. _Yes. They're too innocent to understand. Everything here is so confusing. Why can't they just accept that sometimes people die? I've seen enough of it in all my years. People die. Innocents are killed. Life goes on._

An unwanted voice in the back of her mind whispered, _Life doesn't go on for the innocent who was killed._ She shrugged marginally, _So what? It wasn't our fault that girl died. We tried our best. Things happen. I liked it better inside the Aurora. Things are logical there._

"Aikin! Smile for me." Nakomi giggled as he made an obnoxious face and snapped the picture.

_They're so innocent. What will happen when they have to fight the enemy face-to-face? Any hesitation...I have to make sure nothing goes wrong. Everything depends on me now._


	6. Echo from The Past

**Chapter Five**

**An Echo from the Past, I'll Never Forget Your Face**

"So her memory returned then?" Moriko twisted a strand of her hair absentmindedly.

"Yes. I guess her fuku changed and everything. I haven't seen it yet, because we haven't had to fight again and Usa-chan says we shouldn't transform for no reason, but she said it was all sparkly now."

"Great," The brunette murmured flatly. Nakomi, noticing her friend's lack of enthusiasm, said, "Hey, Moriko-chan, what's wrong?"

"Huh? Oh. Nothing." The other girl forced a smile. "Nothing's wrong. I just... my head sort of hurts. I think I'm going to lay down for awhile, okay?" Nakomi nodded hesitantly, but instantly courteous, she said, "Okay...I'll stop by later to see if you're feeling better."

"Bye, Nakomi-chan."

"Good-bye."

As the door shut behind her friend, Moriko flopped down on the couch and clutched a pillow to her chest. Eyes tightly shut, she silently cried, _Why can she be a senshi, but not me? Why am I always the one left behind?_ An unexpected tear leaked from her eye and slid down her cheek. Biting into the pillow, she tried to stifle the sobs she knew were coming.

0

_"You stay here, Mori-chan. You're too little to come with us." Mako-chan's hand was warm as she lovingly patted her young daughter on the head, but it left a feeling of emptiness in the little girl all the same._

_ "Mama! I want to come! Please don't leave me behind!" Shinoki dropped to his knees and embraced her, whispering, "Don't worry, Mori-chan, I'll bring you back something nice, I promise!" Moriko sniffled and rubbed her eye with one hand, replying, "I don't _want_ something nice; I want to _come_!"_

_ "Maybe next time, okay?" Makoto looked over her shoulder to where Minako was standing. "We'll be back in a few hours, okay?"_

_"Sure."_

_"Thanks. Bye." Mako-chan patted her daughter a final time, and she and Shinoki left. Moriko sniffled again, and Minako knelt down next to her._

_"Don't worry, Sweetie. They'll be back soon. Probably before you even notice they're gone. Nakomi-chan's just finishing up lunch, she'll be waiting for you in the kitchen."_

_"Okay..." Moriko sighed lightly, took one last lingering glance over her shoulder, and headed __in to see her friend._

0

_"Oh! Sorry, Nii-san! Let me see!" Moriko rushed to inspect her older brother, but he waved her off impatiently._

_"I'm fine. It's just a bloody nose. I'm going into the Labyrinth in a week. If my younger sister can land punches on me, I need more practice." Moriko tipped her head, a trace of arrogance showing through._

_"So I'm 'just' your younger sister am I? You had better watch out, Nii-san. I'm following directly in your footsteps. In a few years, this younger sister could end up your partner in the Royal Guard." _

_ He laughed and replied, "You're not there yet! Come on, Moriko. Again!"_

0

_Sailorjupiter, her face streaked with blood, the light in her eyes shattered, brushed by everyone as she ran towards the palace. Moriko felt her heart break as she watched the lifeless body of her brother pass by. Stepping forward, to offer comfort and share her mother's grief, she fell back as Jupiter physically ran into her and kept going._

Not even a sideways glance,_ Moriko thought with shock, _she didn't even see me. No more footsteps, Shinoki. There's no one left I can follow.

0

_"Just outside of the inner circle of the city, along the north wall of the Labyrinth, I've found a nest of darkness! I think this is the resting place of the one that killed your brother."_

_ Moriko looked at her mother with weariness and didn't reply._

_ "Your brother will finally be avenged! Then, maybe we can live in peace." _

_ Again, her daughter didn't reply. She had seen this story, _heard_ this story, too many times for it to affect her anymore._

Oh, Mama...some of us are already living in peace. Father needs you, so does Nonaki-chan. She misses having the mother she can barely remember having. She comes to _me_ when she hurts herself, to _me_ when she needs help...do you even remember us?

_ Mako-chan continued to speak, a frightening, insane look in her eyes._

No. You don't. You don't remember anyone but _him_. Once again, all I can do is follow behind you and hope everything turns out okay.

_ When her mother strode from the room, Moriko took a second to look out at the starry sky._

_"Shinoki," She whispered, "If you can hear me, please watch over her. She needs someone to help her re-find the peace of her heart."_

0

_"Mori-onee-chan?" Nonaki said softly, "What's going on? Why are you up so late?" _

_ The fire from the Labyrinth reflected off of the windowpane and the green of the older girl's eyes. She quickly turned and replied, "Nothing's going on, Nonaki-chan. What are you doing up so late?" She scooped her young sister into her arms and strode out of the room, taking one last quick look out the window behind her._

0

_I thought that was the end. I thought I could finally stop following after everyone older than myself. I thought, maybe, that I could finally start to move forward with my life. But..._

"How can I?" She whispered to the empty room. "My friends have moved on without me. There are sailor senshi again, but I'm not one of them. The power of Jupiter is gone. Have you abandoned me? I'm just trailing after Nakomi-chan, listening to her stories about something I can never be. What can I do to make a difference? What can I do..."

She buried her face in the pillow and tried to shut the world out.

0

"Oh come on Moriko-chan! It'll be fun and besides, we haven't been in the longest time, and I want you to meet Korimiko and Kamiko! They're really nice, and I bet you'll never guess that they're only half-sisters because they look soooo much alike, except when you look at their coloring, because Kori-san has yellow hair and eyes and Kamiko-san has red hair and eyes, but really, besides that they're identical."

"Uh-huh."

"Yeah, and- Moriko-chan? Are you okay?"

"Fine." Her voice was dull, and she knew it, but the brunette didn't bother trying to sound interested.

"I'm coming over to get you Moriko-chan, and then we're going to the mall! I promised Kori-san and Kamiko-san that we'd meet them in an hour. Be ready in ten minutes, okay?"

Moriko nodded listlessly, disregarding the fact that Nakomi couldn't see her over the phone.

"Okay, bye! I'll be there soon!"

0

"Oh. Hi, Aikin-san." Moriko blinked with surprise and Nakomi's brother nodded and smiled politely in greeting.

"Nako-chan said I should drag you out of the house if you weren't ready." He sighed lightly with easy tolerance and added, "She also needed a ride to the mall. You'll have to sit in the side-car; I can't take both of you on the back."

Moriko tipped her head slightly to the side in order to see around Aikin and saw Nakomi standing up in the side-car of her brother's motorcycle, waving her arms furiously.

"Moriiiiiiko-chaaaaaan! Hurrrry! They're waiting for us!"

Despite a slightly lingering unhappiness, Moriko smiled with genuine excitement and called, "Okay! I'm coming!" She turned to shut the door, and toppled forward as she was hit from behind. Aikin instinctively opened his arms and caught her before she could fall.

"Wait! Don't leave me behind!"

Moriko twisted around as Aikin released her, and looked down to see Nonaki-chan standing in the doorway, tears shining in her eyes.

"Please don't leave me, Mori-onee-chan! I want to come with you!"

Moriko felt an uneasy twinge that she couldn't quite put her finger on as she knelt to embrace her younger sister. "Don't worry. Dad's here, and I'll be back in a little while."

"I'm sure Moriko-chan will bring back something nice for you, Nonaki-chan. It's okay." A tendril of fear had begun to wrap itself around Moriko's heart, and Aikin's voice sounded like it was coming from a million miles away. Somewhere in the back of her mind, a different young voice cried: "_I don't _want_ something nice! I want to come with _you_!"_

"I..." Moriko put a shaky hand to her face, but before she could say anything more, their father's voice called from the next room.

"Naki-chan! What are you doing out there? Let Mori-chan go with her friends!"

Nonaki hesitated, her face full of turmoil. Finally, she threw her arms around Moriko and whispered, "Be careful today, kay? I have a strange feeling." Then, with a bright smile, she turned, jumped from her sister's arms, and yelled, "Coming!"

Moriko slowly got to her feet, her face downcast. Aikin put a hand on her shoulder and said, "Well, let's go. I don't want Nako-chan to kill herself jumping around like that."

Moriko smiled and started laughing, pushing her uneasiness to one side. "Right."

0

"Your friend and my sister seem to be the same person, don't they?" Kori laughed as Moriko grimaced with mock horror and said, "One Nakomi-chan is bad enough! It's a scary thought to think of an older one running around too!"

Kori shook her head with false dismay and added, "I was _sure_ I was keeping existence safe by keeping Kami-chan under semi-control! I guess I was wrong..."

The brunette paused for a second and then said, "I can imagine what Nakomi-chan would say if she had a name like 'kami'! She already thinks she's wonderful!"

Kori laughed again and replied, "It does wonders for my sister's already inflated ego!" Kori gradually stopped laughing and murmured, "I wouldn't mind getting to know her_ brother_ on the other hand. He's a sight!"

Aikin was lazily walking slightly in front of them, pacing himself behind the frantic bustling of Kamiko and Nakomi.

Moriko blinked with surprise and replied, "_Aikin_?"

Kori looked offended and said, "Why do you say it like that? What's wrong him?"

Moriko started laughing and quickly said, "Nothing's _wrong_ with him, but, well, it's _Aikin_! I mean, even if I didn't look up to him as an older brother," A quick shadow passed over her face, "I'd never go after him!"

Kori, her face overwhelmed with curiosity said, "Oh, why not?"

Moriko spluttered and replied, "Because of _Umina_! She'd tear anyone to pieces who thought of _looking_ at him for too long! They've been dating for the _longest_ time, and were best friends for _forever_ before that."

"I see." Kori, a thoughtful look on her face, smiled after a moment of silent deliberation and said, "Then I'd be doing them both a favor by going after Aikin." Seeing Moriko's look of confusion, she elaborated with, "Monotony isn't good for people. Change is _always_ better. Staying in one place for so long," she shuddered, "A person might as well be dead! Moving on is the best thing for people."

Moriko sensed there was something more to what Kori was saying than just relationships, but decided not to press the issue.

"Good luck," she said shortly, "but I seriously doubt you'll get very far with him. He's not the type to be dishonest or disloyal."

Kori shrugged and replied, "I'll never know until I try. If you'll excuse me," she added, "I think I'll start right now." She scurried away from the brunette and up to where Aikin was walking. He gave her a friendly smile, and Kori began to talk. Too far away to hear them, Moriko trailed behind them, not feeling up to chasing after and catching up to Nakomi and Kamiko.

"Moriko-chan!" She turned in time to see Usa and Ame running towards her.

"Hi!" Usa bubbled happily, "What a coincidence running into you. Ame-chan and I were just window shopping. Who are you here with?" Moriko gestured to Aikin and Nakomi, both of who were gaining distance ahead of her.

"Those are the two women who took Nakomi-chan on the boat ride the other day," Ame said with surprise, "I didn't know she kept in contact with them."

Moriko shrugged and didn't respond.

"Well, she's just naturally friendly I guess," Usa said nonchalantly, "They don't seem dangerous, so things should be okay."

"Usa-chan," Ame answered, "we can never be too careful. The enemy could be anywhere. We should keep an eye them, just to be on the safe side."

Moriko ducked her head, feeling like she was spying on a private conversation. Usa, sensing her discomfort, cheerfully said, "Next time we go to the beach, you'll have to come with us, okay?" Moriko nodded weakly but again, didn't say anything. Ame looked at her curiously, obviously really noticing her for the first time, and said, "You're very familiar to me...who are you?"

Usa blushed and said, "Oh yeah, I didn't introduce you, did I?" Before she could say more, Moriko said, "My name is Barano Moriko, daughter of Barano Makoto, who was, before her death, Sailorjupiter."

Ame's eyes lit up with understanding, and she bowed low to the girl, saying, "I met you when the others received their powers! Your mother was a very powerful woman, and, after seeing her with that child, I can see that she was a very compassionate one."

Moriko grew pale, and felt the floor begin to tip under her feet. "Seeing her with that child?" She said faintly, "What are you talking about? You saw her and Shinoki You can _still_ see them?"

"Well," Ame said slowly, sensing that she had made a mistake in mentioning the two, "Not anymore. I don't have direct access to the Aurora you see, so I can't check on them. However I used to make sure they were okay every once and awhile."

"You can spy on people?"

The anger in Moriko's voice caught Ame by surprise, and the white-haired girl started to stutter. "What? No! I usually can't even _see_ the specific inhabitants of all the different realities! The only reason I could find your mother was because I had direct contact with her. I wasn't spying! I just wanted to make sure she was happy! I–" Ame began to grow flustered, and she wrung her hands anxiously.

"Moriko-chan!" Usa exclaimed with shock, "Ame didn't do _anything_ wrong! We asked her to send Mako-chan to another reality; what difference will it make if she checks on her occasionally?"

Ame partially regained her composure and added, "Her body failed shortly after the transfer. It was too close to death. Spirits are far more free and open than the body that limits them. I seriously doubt she would mind my watching her even if she _did_ know about it."

Moriko, her face turning red, replied, "It doesn't _matter_! That's _not_ the point! You're still _spying_ on her!"

"No! It's not like that! I didn't–" Ame wrapped her arms around herself and was shaking her head violently. Ahead of them, Aikin and Kori had stopped abruptly and turned around.

"Nako-chan," he said quietly, his voice still carrying over the other sounds around them, "Wait up." His sister slid to a halt, Kamiko moments after her, and ran back to his side.

"You _did!_ If she had simply died, then there might have still be a chance for me! Then, maybe her power-"

Aikin moved almost quicker than the eye could follow, and clapped a hand over her mouth. His own mouth close to her ear, he whispered, "Now is not the time or place for this, Moriko-chan. Not with so many people around."

She was shaking with fury and pent up frustration, but she nodded her head tightly and clenched her eyes shut. Aikin released her and stepped away. Usa-chan, a new understanding on her face, took a tentative step towards Moriko. Before she could get closer than a few steps, people started to scream.

"What's going on?"

People were already running in every direction, and Kamiko grabbed one by the arm. "Hey! What's going on?"

"There's a fire!" The man spluttered, "I know it sounds crazy, but some kind of monster started it!" He yanked his arm away from her and as he was running away shouted back, "You'd better get out before it gets this far!"

Kori's eyes bugged and she screeched, "A monster? We have to get _out_ of here!"

Usa nodded her head firmly and said, "You and Kamiko-san get out now; we'll catch up to you in a minute."

Kamiko hesitated for a moment and then said, "Why are you waiting? You should come right now...it's _dangerous_ by the fire."

"We're just going to check to see if anyone needs help." Aikin looked over his shoulder towards the direction of the screams and added, "Sometimes panicking people do stupid things."

"Okay," the redhead said finally, "We'll be waiting for you outside." Once the two sisters were out of earshot, Nakomi clasped her friend's shoulder and said, "You should find somewhere safe, Moriko-chan."

Moriko, her face downcast, murmured, "I know."

"Everyone! Henshin yo!"

"Silver Moon Power!"

"Venus Crystal Power!"

"Pluto Planet Power!"

"Aurora Existence Power!"

"Make-UP!"

"For love and justice I am the beautiful sailor-suited soldier Sailormoon! In the name of the moon, I'll punish you!"

The fire monster appeared to be a giant, burning anaconda. Red and orange flames licked all along the edges, and in the fire center all throughout its body, a band of yellow shimmered. It opened white-hot eyes and hissed loudly, showing tongues of yellow flame for fangs.

Venus pressed her hands over her mouth. She blew a kiss into her hands, and lowered it from her mouth. Cupping the kiss carefully, she looked down into her hands, which were glowing softly with golden energy. Smiling coyly, she tipped her hands forward, revealing several golden hearts. She squeezed them together, and when she opened them back up, her hands were coated with golden dust. They glowed slightly, and she brought them back up to her lips. Blowing gently, the dust drifted through the air in glittering streams of golden glitter. She suddenly took a deep breath and blew all the air out of her lungs. The golden dust merged into a misty cloud, which shot away from her.

"Golden Kiss Glitter!"

The snake flashed red and opened its mouth. Snapping forward greedily, it swallowed the cloud in one gulp. Venus cried out with dismay and yelled, "That's not supposed to happen!"

The snake hissed with deafening volume and shifted its massive coils slightly. Sailormoon gasped and said, "There's a _person_ in there!" Sure enough, towards the tail, a limp, middle aged man was constricted in the anaconda's coils. Further up the body, other shadowy outlines of people being held were visible.

"Iridescent Tide!" A ball of vivid blue water smashed into the flames, a few feet from where the man was confined. The snake screamed and its tail dissolved. The man fell to the ground, and the monster slid to look at its newest opponents.

Sailorneptune, her hands on her hips, scowled at the snake and yelled, "With the power of the oceans at my command, Sailorneptune will vanquish you!"

Saturn spun the Silence Glaive in her hands slightly but remained silent.

"Saturn! Neptune!" Sailormoon called out happily, "I'm glad you're here!"

"Yeah," Venus murmured, "Thrilled beyond words."

The snake, using their distraction to its own advantage, lashed out with coils and looped around both Sailoraurora and Guardian Pluto. Their weapons fell to the ground as the coils tightened and restricted their arms, and the two senshi were helpless. The yellow core of the snake flashed and the remaining captives began to scream.

"Death Ribbon Revolu-" Before Saturn could complete the attack, the snake whipped its head around and snapped the Silence Glaive from her hands using its tongue. Saturn, her arms and face scorched, fell to her knees. Neptune was caught across the chest by the flying Silence Glaive, and screamed as her henshin brooch was scratched. Sailormoon held her hands up over her head, and the Lunar Blade appeared before her.

She went through the motions of her attack quickly, but as she brought the blade down for the finishing stroke she was knocked to the floor as another twisting coil of the snake lashed out. Caught in its fiery embrace, it was impossible for her to defend herself. She began to scream as energy coursed through her body, and from what seemed to be far away, could hear Pluto and Aurora screaming with her.

_Is this...how we're to die?_ Sailormoon felt herself growing weaker and whispered, "Everyone...I'm...I...can't..."

"Jupiter Oak Evolution!"

A massive ball of green energy flew towards the snake's head, but again it twisted in mid-air and swallowed the attack. Its eye bugged for a moment, someone managing to project surprise on it's primarily featureless face, and with one final earsplitting shriek, it vanished. The senshi fell to the floor, Neptune and Venus, the least injured of them, running to check on the others one at a time. Saturn reached a shaky hand out for the Silence Glaive and used her weapon as a means of support as she hobbled towards the others. Sailormoon had gotten to her feet on her own, and turned to face the direction of the attack, her face pale.

"Moriko-chan?" She whispered. Her eyes widened as a figured stepped into sight. "That's _impossible_...Mako-chan?"

Sailorjupiter tipped her head to one side playfully and said, "You're nothing without Sailorjupiter, eh, everyone?"

"Mako-chan," Sailormoon whispered, her eyes brimming with tears, "you're _alive_."

"Sailorjupiter," Aurora murmured, "how did you _get_ here?" Jupiter opened her mouth to respond when an earsplitting shriek interrupted her.

"_MAMA!_" Moriko-chan, who had apparently been hiding nearby by, sprinted towards the senshi of wood, her arms outstretched. Jupiter, her own eyes filling with tears, put a shaking hand to her mouth and whispered, "Moriko-chan..."

"Mama!" The girl fell to the floor as she passed through her mother's ethereal form. Looking up with wounded eyes, she said, "What _are_ you? Even when you come back, you don't come back! Mama..." She buried her face in her hands and cried, "I can't _do_ this anymore. First, you're dead. Then, suddenly you're alive, but you're trying to destroy the world. Then, you're dead again, but your spirit is alive. Then, your body is alive, but actually you're just a ghost who can throw energy around. What _are_ you?"

Jupiter, tears running down her face, knelt down on her daughter's level and said, "I'm sorry, Mori-chan. I'm sorry, a thousand times. I...I don't know _what_ I am. Maybe, this is the fate of all of Serenity's senshi." She took a shaky breath and continued, "Hotaru died after becoming Mistress 9, but she didn't. Supersailormoon saved her. Black Lady should have been killed after being exposed to the dark crystal for so long, but she wasn't. We should have been dead after facing off against the forces of Queen Metallia, but we weren't. It was nearly the end of the world when Nehelenia broke her dream mirror, but we survived. We _all_ should have faded away forever after Galaxia took our star seeds, but we came back. I don't _know_ what it is. Maybe, because I've already returned so many times, my aura has learned to regenerate itself. I couldn't become Sailorjupiter until now. I've spent my time living with memories of the past in the reality of dreams. Living in a time when Shinoki was still alive and innocent and safe. But..."

She looked down at her tightly laced hands, "I realized suddenly that I was failing you as a mother. I survived my own death once again only to realize that I had abandoned the ones who still needed me. If that wasn't enough, I took with me the only power that could have helped you to survive, the strength of Jupiter. So, I vowed never to return to a world of happy illusion. In the sky I could see a sliver of bright light. I moved towards it and found myself here. I don't know what happened, but I came back. I've come back."

Behind her, Sailoraurora murmured, "The Aurora is opening further...it's beginning to become visible to actual realities. We're running out of time."

"Mori-chan. I-" Jupiter sighed and her daughter looked up at her for the first time. "I don't know what else to say but that I'm sorry. I...I took the precious gift of my two, wonderful daughters, and a loving husband, and I threw them away for a son who had already moved on. I haven't truly encountered Shinoki's spirit since he died." She laughed sadly. "I could only make a poor replica of him from my memories."

Moriko, suudenly looking older and more compassionate that her years should have allowed, had a new look of understanding on her face, and she softly said, "Mama, you have to move on."

In the background, without anyone's attention on her, Sailoraurora moved the Eternal Star so that it was horizontal with the still form of the man who had been killed by the anaconda of fire.

"Shinoki knew that staying here would be pointless. He knew to seek whatever it was he needed someplace _beyond_ what we are now."

The crystal star at the top of Aurora's staff began to glow with a soft indigo light, and the man was outlined in the same color.

"Stop torturing yourself. Serenity is safe now. Her senshi are gone. Nonaki-chan and Dad and I will be fine. It's time for you to go the same way Shinoki went and find a new life for yourself."

The man faded, and Aurora sighed lightly, putting a shaky hand to her forehead.

"It's time to move on." Jupiter looked at her daughter with pride and whispered, "You've changed, Mori-chan." The girl nodded her head slightly and replied, "I think I'm growing up." With these words, her body lit up with a blinding green aura.

Sailorjupiter, a look of complete comprehension on her face, got to her feet in exact sync with her daughter. Both raised their hands to the sky and at the same time shouted, "Jupiter Crystal Power, Make-UP!" Energy jumped from Jupiter and into the body of Moriko, whose clothes had disintegrated into light green smoke and blown away.

A green circle appeared over her chest, and a green and pink fuku quickly wrapped itself around her body. Everywhere her fuku was green, there was a light coat of what looked like fine silver glitter. Kino Makoto looked down at herself with amazement, and then back up at her daughter, her eyes shining with joy.

"I'm just..._me._"

Sailorjupiter's eyes cleared, and she smiled gently at her mother. "Yes. You're just yourself now. It's time for you to go."

Mako-chan's face was momentarily downcast, and she murmured, "Yes... Time to move on. Finally...after all this time..." Her head snapped up, and she moved forward at the exact time her daughter did. The two met with their arms outstretched, and this time neither fell to the floor. Heads bowed to each other's shoulders, Jupiter murmured, "I love you. Thank you, for...everything." The green light from the symbol of Jupiter shone gently behind Sailorjupiter's tiara, giving she and her mother an ethereal glow all their own.

"I'll never forget you, Mori-chan. I..." her body began to fade from sight, "I love you forever."


	7. Mizumichan's Infatuation

**Chapter Six**

**The Enemy Finally Appears! Mizumi-chan's Infatuation?**

"Ooh! Look at this! Isn't it beautiful, Mizumi-chan?" Usa pressed her face against the glass of the window and peered inside, an envious look on her face. The tall blue-haired girl slowed to a stop, peering over her friend's shoulder and into the store.

"What? Oh! Wow!"

"What are you two staring at?" Moriko leaned around them and her eyes widened. "Wow...I see."

Aikin brought up the rear, struggling to walk without falling as Nakomi and Umina each pulled on one of his arms. "_No_," he said loudly, "I already _told_ you, she said-"

The three stopped short as they saw Usa, Mizumi, and Moriko staring into the window with rapt fascination. Nakomi and Umina released him so quickly he nearly toppled backwards into the street, but after moving to stand behind them he whistled softly and said, "Whoever made this is incredibly talented. It looks just like you Usa-chan."

She blushed and murmured, "I don't think so, but Mama and Grandmother look fantastic. So," she added as an afterthought, "does Queen Serenity. I'm surprised anyone was so inspired by her. Most look to Grandmother as the Messiah now, and don't see Queen Serenity as anything but her mother."

"It's uncanny," Mizumi murmured, "the artist has every detail perfect, including facial expressions and the dress styles! This must have taken forever!"

Sitting on a swath of dark blue velvet, the sculpture depicted the royal line of Serenity, beginning with the silver-haired Queen Serenity of the Silver Millennium. Standing towards the top, under rocks with a silver sheen to them, Queen Serenity, her beautiful hair cascading down her back like two rivers of moonlit silver, held the ginzuishou over her head, looking up at it with determination but also with a wistful sadness.

"I think," Nakomi said softly, almost unwilling to break the solemn silence, "that she was about to send everyone to the future there. Look how sad she looks. She knows it will be the last time she ever sees anyone in that form again."

The others nodded thoughtfully. The next woman was sitting a level down from Queen Serenity and on rocks that looked like they were made of clear crystal. Peering into a large swath of silvery water that stretched through the middle of the piece, a length of her golden hair had slipped over one shoulder and trailed into the pool. Neo-Queen Serenity, wisdom clearly shown on her face, was looking down at her reflection, which was a younger version of herself, who looked decidedly more unsure than her regal counterpart. One hand was reaching down into the water, just as the reflection of Princess Serenity was reaching up. Between their two hands, the ginzuishou hovered, glowing slightly.

"That one is a nice bridge between the past and the present. I'll bet that's just how Princess Serenity looked in the Silver Millennium."

Usa nodded slowly. Across the pool, Neo-Princess Selenity was on rocks of black crystal, looking down into the water. However, instead of wisdom, there was nothing but sadness on her face. On hands and knees, she peered into the water as if she had dropped something. Tears from her face had caused ripples across the water, and one hand had been scratched and was slowly trickling blood into the silvery depths.

Aikin, who could see over all of them and had a slightly overhead view of the piece, softly said, "I think the ginzuishou is at the bottom of the pool. There's _something_ shining down there."

Mizumi, the second tallest, nodded in agreement and added, "I think he's right. There's just a faint shine of light down there."

The final figure was at the bottom of the piece, and was kneeling, her dress being pulled back by what must have been a fierce wind. Her dark hair spun out behind her like two swaths of midnight, and her arms were outstretched in front of her, the ginzuishou glowing between her slender hands. A look of intense determination shone brightly in her eyes, and the golden crescent moon on her forehead glowed softly with a silver light. Across from her, was an empty swath of silvery crystal, which she was kneeling on.

Moriko spoke up. "That look she has on her face is the exact way you looked when we fought the Divine One. I've never seen you look that way before or since then, but that _is_ the look."

Umina said, "We should go and see how much they're asking for that. It would look so beautiful in the palace, and I'm sure Neo-Queen Serenity will pay for it when she sees it."

The others nodded, but stopped short and turned when they heard a voice shrill with tension loudly exclaim, "What kind of idiot do you take me for? That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever _heard_!" A pale hand whipped out and pushed a layout of cards onto the street. Then, the girl who has yelled, who looked about seventeen, whirled around, her nose in the air, and stormed off, short black hair shining indignantly behind her. The owner of the cards stood up from his chair and knelt down on the ground, gathering his fallen belongings.

"Let us help you!" The others close behind her, Usa began gathering fallen cards, her friends doing the same.

"Ah," the owner said, his back to them as he picked up cards, "Thank you. I want to hurry and get them before the wind picks them up and tosses them all over the place."

Mizumi paused a moment, a gold-backed card in her hand, and lightly traced the design, a dragon unfurling its wings in front of a half moon, with one finger. Distractedly, she reached down for another card and froze when she felt warm fingers brush her own. She looked up slowly, and thought she was going to faint.

0

Shiko clutched her bag tightly and walked as quickly away from the fortune-teller as she could. She ducked into the nearest alley, tears welling up in her violet eyes, and slid down the wall until she was crouched with her arms wrapped around her knees and her head buried in her arms. She angrily brushed at a tear with a shaking hand and snapped, "What does _he_ know anyway? Stupid! I never should have asked. I was an idiot for thinking anyone would have the answer to _my_ problem..." Tears welled up again, and she buried her head in her arms.

Unbidden, familiar but terrifying images played themselves across her mind. The tip of a black blade, eyes narrowing at her, a black star inscribed on a woman's forehead, a strange fire ball shooting towards earth, an explosion, a glittering cluster of crystals, a woman with a large gem at her throat laughing cruelly.

"What do they mean?" She whispered softly.

0

_Eyes and hair the same color._ With warm, chocolate eyes, he smiled at Mizumi, both of them still holding the card. She blushed, but didn't let go. The fortune-teller turned his hand slightly, forcing Mizumi to do the same or drop the card. Turning, the face of it became visible. The blue-haired girl's eyes widened as she saw the image, and she dropped it as if it had burned her hand. The stylized gold letters adorning the bottom of the card gleamed and winked in the sunlight, and he softly said, "The Lovers. Must be destiny." He winked at her and smiled again, laughing as he did so.

Mizumi, a dazed look on her face, nodded slightly and murmured, "Uh-huh. Destiny..."

Nakomi, who looked slightly flushed, declared, "I _love_ destiny! I want to know _everything_ about it. Past...present..._and_ future!"

Aikin looked at her out of the corner of his eye and handed the remaining cards to the fortune-teller. Getting to his feet, he said, "I don't think we got your name..."

The other got to his own feet and said, "How rude of me! My name is Unmeino Ryuu."

Mizumi, still on the ground, murmured, "Unmeino Ryuu..."

Aikin nodded and said, "Aino Aikin. This is Kaiou-Tenou Umina, Tsukino Usagi, Barano Moriko, Aino Nakomi, and Ameno Mizumi."

"Ameno Mizumi, what a beautiful name," Ryuu murmured, reaching down to help Mizumi to her feet. She blinked out of her daze at his touch, and allowed herself to be pulled to her feet.

"Thank you," she said softly, blushing and not looking at him.

Nakomi, sensing that she was losing her free fortune-telling session, danced over to Ryuu and looped his arm through her own, singing, "How a-bout it, Ry-uu-sa-ma? Will you tell my fortune?"

Moriko nodded vigorously and chimed, "Yeah, do mine too!"

Umina, laughing, pushed Aikin forward and said, "Do his first!"

Usa looked around and added, "Well, if everyone else is having their fortune told," she smiled brightly, "I want mine done too!"

Mizumi's face darkened for an instant, but it quickly cleared into one of resignation. Ryuu fended them off with upraised hands while laughing quietly at the same time.

0

The alleyway was empty, a shopping bag laying forgotten on its side. Next to it, traced in the grime, was a strange symbol that looked like a lowercase "h" with a line through the top of it.

0

"Okay! Okay! I give up! I'll do all of them." The girls cheered, but he continued with, "Not right now though," he gestured to the crowds walking by. "Right now, I have to do some legitimate work."

Nakomi released him, her face falling. Almost immediately after, she smiled again and exclaimed, "No problem! We'll just come back later. We planned on-"

A giant purple bird of energy swept down on them from above. Throwing themselves to ground moments before being struck, the senshi were missed. Ryuu was thrown back into the wall as a tail feather clipped him in the head, and Mizumi snarled, jumping to her feet. A stylized blue pen with a golden diamond engraved with the symbol of Mercury on the top of it appeared.

"Mercury Crystal Power, Make-up!"

Close behind her, other hands holding similar pens flew into the air.

"Silver Moon Power!"

"Neptune Planet Power!"

"Jupiter Planet Power!"

"Pluto Planet Power!"

"Venus Planet Power!"

"Make-up!"

In whirling colors and flashes of light, the Sailor Team transformed. The bird was already circling for another attack, and as Mercury stood over the unconscious Ryuu,

Guardian Pluto lifted the Time Staff.

He flung his left hand back, keeping the right firmly on the Time Key just below the Garnet Orb. A ball of mauve energy gathered in his hand, and he grabbed his weapon with both hands. The energy in his left hand traveled up and down the length of the metal, and the Garnet Orb burst into light. Aiming at the bird, he shouted, "Shrieking Epoch!" Several balls of mauve energy shot from the Garnet Orb, and its light slowly dimmed.

Every ball hit its target, and the bird screamed and started to spiral crookedly. Venus and Neptune, in an uncommon show of cooperation, looked at each other and nodded.

Neptune extended her index and middle finger together on both hands and circled them around each other directly in front of her chest. Two separate, cerulean, streams of water trailed at the ends of her fingers, and they slowly combined together into one ring of water circling in the air around her hands. She slowed down gradually, and pulled her hands farther apart. The ring formed into a ball of vivid blue water, which she pushed away from herself with both hands, fingers splayed.

"Iridescent Tide!"

In perfect timing, Venus was performing her attack, and moments after Neptune finished, she shouted, "Golden Kiss Glitter!"

Side by side, the two attacked raced for the already wounded bird. With a final wounded scream, it crashed into the ground and faded from sight. Sailorjupiter shook her head and said, "Not much of an enemy, was it?"

Sailormoon shook her head and said, "I wasn't even needed..."

Sailormercury was trying to wake up Ryuu. Sailorvenus ran over to Pluto and exclaimed, "That was _soo_ cool! I wish _I_ had that Staff!" Her eyes gleamed slightly, and Pluto, recognizing the look, held the weapon where his sister couldn't reach it. She shot him an exasperated look, but stopped short when a voice from overhead spoke.

"Well, well, well. Could it be that the _half_ moon has occurred already?" Bright red eyes glared at Ryuu with hatred and the young woman slowly drifted towards the ground. Her soft-soled shoes made no sound as she settled on the road, and she tossed a shaggy ponytail over her shoulder and placed her hands on her hips. Wearing a red skirt that hugged her hips and flared at her calves, the bottom decorated with the black circles, and a tight fitting, red, off-the-shoulder top, the woman sneered at Ryuu disdainfully.

"_Why_ she lets trash like this come with us, I'll _never_ know." Her eyes brightened for a moment, and she smiled secretly, adding, "I could fix that right now before she ever found out. If I blame it on the senshi, she'll have no way to pin it on me." She laughed and clapped her hands excitedly. "I'm _such_ a genius!"

Sailormoon exchanged glances with the rest of the senshi, who looked utterly baffled, and finally, clearing her throat, said, "Um, are you talking about Ryuu-san?"

"Huh?" The woman stopped clapping and looked at Sailormoon with surprise, apparently seeing her for the first time. Quickly regaining her composure, she tossed her head and replied, "Of course. He's trash. As first phase dancer of the Caravan, I'm taking it upon myself to remedy the mistake of bringing him along with us."

Sailormoon hesitated again, unsure if they were faced with an enemy. She wasn't used to talking with them before fighting. Sailorjupiter nudged her ever so slightly, and Sailormoon took a deep breath and said, "As the protectors of this world, we won't allow you to harm him! For love and justice! I'm the pretty-suited soldier, Sailormoon! In the name of the moon, I'll punish you!"

"What?" The woman laughed and exclaimed, "Don't worry! I'm doing you a _favor_! Don't you understand? He's one of us! Part of the Caravan! He's helping to destroy your world, you know." She stopped laughing abruptly and said, "Now get out of the way."

Sailormercury gave her a black look, and Guardian Pluto stepped in front of both Mercury and Ryuu.

"Sailormoon told you that we wouldn't let you hurt him. Now _leave_, before we have to send back to where you came from."

The woman frowned, looking dangerously annoyed, and with narrowed eyes, opened her mouth to reply.

"Decimating Voltage!"

"Iridescent Tide!"

The woman jumped away moments before being hit, her face twisted with fury. "You _dare_ to attack me? For this I'll kill _all_ of you!" She spun around once and kicked a leg into the air, sending a stream of red ice towards Sailormercury and Ryuu, who still wasn't moving.

"Shimmering Frostbite!" A layer of frost, ice, and snow encased them, but there was a scream as the red attack hit them anyway. The frost and snow faded, leaving Sailormercury on her knees and panting heavily.

"Mercury!" Sailormoon took a step towards her fallen friend.

"You're fighting them without me!" A new voice said petulantly. Space shimmered next to the dancer, and an identical woman in shades of yellow appeared. She was holding a black and light yellow tambourine in one hand and had the other on her hip. She tapped a foot angrily, and the dancer cringed.

"Sorry! I looked everywhere for you! But I could sense a new tear in the reality and wanted to see how much the creature could accomplish. Amazingly," she smirked, "Look who else I found."

The yellow-haired woman looked to where the dancer was pointing and smiled cruelly. "Is it that time of the month again already?"

The redhead nodded sadly, "I suppose so, and just look at the condition he's in! It was just too much of an opportunity to pass up!"

The yellow-haired woman nodded and said, "I suppose you're right. I would have done the same thing."

"_Unfortunately_," the dancer pouted, "I was _attacked_! Those senshi are _protecting_ him!"

"What_?_ Are they out of their minds? Why protect an enemy?"

"I don't think they believed me when I said he was one of us." The yellow-haired woman looked at the senshi and said, "Believe us! As second phase musician of the Caravan, I swear that my partner is telling the truth!"

"No. It's our duty to protect the innocent and helpless," Sailormoon gestured to where Mercury was struggled to get back to her feet and protect Ryuu, "and we will _always_ accomplish our duty."

The musician shrugged and said, "Very well. Die with him."

Her partner sent another stream of ice in their direction, and the yellow-haired woman hit her tambourine. A thick streamer of yellow fire shot from the instrument, and interrupted the attacks the senshi were struggling to perform.

Sailorvenus shrieked as she tripped and landed on her face after dodging a fireball that came dangerously close to her head.

Sailorneptune was struck by ice, and Guardian Pluto by fire. Sailorjupiter went down by a double attack as she got uncomfortably close to breaking through the defenses of the two. Sailormercury hung back; if she moved, Ryuu would be killed, and she knew there was very little she could do to help the team in her weakened state.

Sailormoon, seeing her friends fall around her, held up her hands. The Lunar Blade appeared above her , and she grabbed the hilt with both hands.

"I told you that I'd stop you, and you've given me no choice but to destroy you."

The two women looked at each other and began to laugh.

"You've _got_ to be kidding," the musician said.

"You _actually_ think you can beat us with that thing?" The dancer threw back her head and cackled.

Sailormoon, the Lunar Blade in her right hand, spun in a circle once, bringing the sword up near her chest.

"Oh no you don't." The dancer took off the numerous gold bracelets she was wearing and threw them at Sailormoon. The jewelry froze in mid-air, and by the time it reached Sailormoon, was solid ice. The bracelets circled the senshi repeatedly, streamers of ice coming off of them and encasing her in it.

"Stop!" The sword fell from her frozen fingers, and the ice was coming dangerously close to covering her face. The dancer shook her head mock playfully and said, "Sorry. You were going to destroy us, so we're simply returning the favor."

"It wouldn't be polite to do otherwise," the musician added. The dancer twitched her wrists, and the bracelets spun faster. Sailormoon gasped as her skin froze and shook her head wildly from side-to-side.

"Don't..."

The musician started to laugh, but her mockery quickly turned into screams as razor talons raked her face. Silver wings flashed in the sunlight, and Eclipse screamed a challenge at his mistresses' attackers. She screamed again and swung wildly with her tambourine.

"Splitting Confusion!" A beam of star-shaped, indigo energy struck the dancer, and the bracelets fell to the ground.

"Hypnotic Flames!"

"Heaven Strike!"

The ice around Sailormoon was delicately hit by a ball of fire and at the same time struck from behind with golden energy. Her bonds shattered, and Sailormoon fell to her knees. The two women vanished for a moment and then reappeared in the air over the senshi.

"More senshi," the dancer said, "I wondered where the rest of you had run off to hide."

Sailorsaturn shook her head calmly and said, "We weren't hiding. We simply weren't with the others when you decided to plan your ill-fated attack."

"Ill-fated?" The musician, with a snide smile, responded "Why is that?"

Uranus Knight smirked and said, "Because it ends here."

The dancer shook her head and replied, "I don't think so." The two women looked at each other for a moment and nodded on some unspoken single. They both raised their hands into the air, but froze when a voice shrieked, "_WHAT ARE YOU TWO DOING? GET BACK HERE! __**NOW!**_" Both cringed, whimpered and then looked back down at the senshi arrogantly.

"Don't think this is over," the dancer said disdainfully.

"We've only just begun," the musician added contemptuously.

The two laughed simultaneously and vanished.

Ryuu groaned weakly, and Mercury shimmered slightly, once again becoming Ameno Mizumi. She knelt down at his side, and resting his head in her lap, murmured, "Ryuu-san? Are you okay?" Slowly, his warm eyes opened, and Mizumi found her insides melting again. She opened her mouth, choked on the word, cleared her throat, and softly repeated, "Are you okay?"

Ryuu groaned again and slowly sat up. Putting one hand to his forehead, he murmured, "What happened? I thought I saw..."

Mizumi shrugged lightly and replied, "You collapsed out of nowhere." In a playfully scolding voice, she added, "We were worried about you!"

He blinked groggily and said, "There seems to be a lot more of you than before."

Mizumi laughed and replied, "We have a habit of conveniently getting together at just the right moments."

Ryuu looked slightly confused, but he shrugged and didn't say anything else. After a silent pause, he shook himself and slowly got to his feet. Mizumi followed, and the others drew closer.

Nakomi approached slowly, and hesitantly said, "Ryuu-san, do you know anything about the half-moon?"

He froze, and there was a moment of incredibly tense silence. Finally, he shrugged and replied, "Sure. I use it as my guiding phase. When the half-moon is in the sky, my readings are the clearest and most accurate. Actually," he looked up towards the blue sky, "I think yesterday _was_ the half-moon." He shook his head ruefully and added, "I've been sort of out of it lately."

The others began to chatter, but Tensei, Hotaru, and Ame-chan hung in the back.

"This could be nothing more than a coincidence," Hotaru said softly, looking at Ryuu out of the corner of her eye. "He _could_ be telling us the truth."

"He _could_ also be a liar," Tensei said grimly, "He might be trying to lure us into a sense of false security."

"Whatever the case," Ame said seriously, "We're going to have to watch him carefully. The enemy was obviously targeting him, whether or not to trick us is arguable, and they might try it again. If they do, we have to be ready to face them again." The other two nodded seriously.

"We have to keep an eye on that one."


	8. Chapter 7

**Identification, Clarification, and Soul Searching, The Team Splits Up**

"I hate to see her like this," Nakomi said quietly as she and Aikin slowly left the room, shutting the door softly as they did so.

"I know." Aikin, his face downcast, added, "I feel so _guilty_. I mean, if I had just taken Saturn's power in the first place, Setsuna-san wouldn't be in a coma."

Nakomi sighed and softly said, "Aikin, there was nothing you could do. Destiny is destiny. You were meant to be Guardian Pluto. We've just got to accept who we are."

He sighed and with an unconvincing smile, replied, "Yeah. I guess so. Come on. I'll buy you lunch."

0

"Is that the planet?" A high female voice chirped with excitement, "Is that finally it?"

A second, calmer voice sighed with tolerance and responded, "Yes. That's the place. We'll be there shortly, eh, Chiron?"

A third voice, also female, replied, "Not long now. The Balance Star is beginning to hum in my mind. I think it's located the source of the problem."

A fourth and final voice, huskier and lower than the others, asked, "Can we see the holder yet? The one causing the disturbance?" The third voice, Chiron, replied, "No. The energy is too powerful. If we tried to look at it we'd be blinded."

"Good," the second voice said, "We haven't had a good honest fight in the longest time."

"Does that mean we have to wait until we get to the Earth to see her?" The first voice seemed thrilled by the prospect.

"Uh-huh." The second voice snickered and added, "It's not like we don't know what and who the problem is."

The fourth girl, a frightening undertone to her voice, said, "Neo-Queen Serenity and the ginzuishou."

0

"She hasn't even woken up yet?" Ame frowned and wrung her hands.

Usa bit her lip, sighed, and said, "None of the former senshi could even find anything _wrong_ with her. She's just closed herself off from the world."

Moriko said, "She's probably just afraid of being hurt again. I mean, the only constant in her entire life has been her powers. When Aikin-san took those away from her, it destroyed the only thing she could always depend on."

The others murmured their agreement. Mizumi, who was typing rapidly on her computer again, looked up abruptly and announced, "We've got problems."

Tensei raised an eyebrow and Umina tensed. Mizumi quickly scanned the readout again and said, "There's something wrong with our..." she shrugged helplessly, at a loss for a better word, "_existence_. We're breaking up."

Ame spoke up. "It's the enemy."

After a short silence, Nakomi said, "Do you think you could explain more please?"

Ame looked at the ground for a minute, her face thoughtful and a million miles away. "I've seen this happen before. The enemy is what's called a 'reality-jumper.' This means that they can move through the Aurora and to other realities without my help. There are actually several creatures in existence who have the ability to enter the Aurora, but only a few of them are harmful. Over countless years I've filtered out as many harmful jumpers as possible, but occasionally some get by me anyway. The Aurora is infinite space, and I'm just one very small guardian. This particular group has been escaping me for over a century. Up until now, I've been channeling them to realities with little or no life to keep causalities to a minimum. As jumpers go, they're very bad at it. A _good_ jumper can travel through the Aurora and into another reality without causing so much as a ripple in the fabric of existence. However, _this_ group is deliberately leaving rips and tears in every reality they've gone through. These rips can cause catastrophic events like the collapse of solar systems and the death of stars. The reality itself usually survives, but not without drastic damage done to it. However, the last time they exited a reality was when I found them. The reality they left _collapsed_ on itself. They must have found a creature of some type in one of their previous realities that's now boosting their energy. This allowed them to destroy the reality. It's also probably what gave them the courage to attack me, and enough power to grab a piece of the Aurora."

Ame sighed and shook her head slightly. "At their previous strength, none of that would have been possible. Basically, what's happening now, is that they've made a nest somewhere in your reality, probably on this planet. They're sending out tendrils of their energy everywhere they can, latching on to as much of the fabric of your existence as quickly as possible. This allows them to steal your energy and build up enough strength to jump again. When they leave here, they won't 'unhook' the tendrils they've been using to steal energy. So, your reality will fold in on itself upon being dragged after them."

Usa, her brow furrowed, said, "I _think_ I understand what you're saying..."

Moriko hesitated for a moment and then said, "Those two women said that they were the first and second phases of 'the Caravan.' I...I don't understand."

Ame shook her head, a blank look on her face, and said, "I have no idea."

Tensei, in the back of the group, suddenly sat up straight, a look of comprehension on his face. He slid across the floor to where Mizumi was sitting and whispered something in her ear. She looked at him, blinking with surprise, and then nodded. She typed a few keys on her computer, pointed to something on the screen, and then nodded again. Tensei pulled out his communicator and flipped the top open. A screen projected in the air, which he quickly scanned. After reading for a moment, he nodded with satisfaction and said, "I think I know who they are."

Everyone stopped and turned to look at Tensei and Mizumi. She shrugged and said, "Don't look here. All I did was pull up a book for him." Tensei hit a tiny key on his communicator and said, "I've transferred the pages to all of you." Each of them pulled out or opened the tops to the watch-like communicators and lines of text projected in front of them.

"There was something about Ame-chan's story that sounded familiar to me, but I just couldn't put my finger on it. Then, when Moriko-chan mentioned that they introduced themselves as the first and second phases of the Caravan, I remembered where I had heard something similar."

He gestured to the screen in front of him and continued. "This is the translation of a very old book of ancient myths, legends, and prophecies. Some of this stuff dates back to the Silver Millennium! Anyway, in one of the oldest legends, there was a story about a group of wanderers that traveled 'in and out of space.' At the time, I didn't think much of it; I assumed that _outer_ space was being referred to. However, 'space' could also mean the fabric of reality. In the myth, there's a warning to all who read it concerning the wanderers. It says that they 'pull with them all that exists, leaving behind a cold nothingness.' Again, I thought it was a reference to something like a black hole. The myth goes on to say that 'a warrior of light banished the darkness and repaired the hole in the stream of life. Then, using the white hot fire of judgment, the wanderers were anchored in a distant place that none can reach.' I figured some distant ancestor of the line of Serenity used the ginzuishou to push the wanderers to the edge of the universe, so far away that they could never do any harm. But, it could just as easily mean that they were sealed away in some alternate reality."

He looked at Ame and said, "That's what you guys said happened to the Divine One, right? You stuck it in some other reality?"

Ame nodded, a strand of white hair falling in her eyes. "That's right. I put it in a reality devoid of all life. It was one of the later victims of these 'wanderers' of yours."

Usa was shaking her head, and she finally said, "There _are_ no ancestors of Serenity before Queen Serenity of the Silver Millennium. We don't even have any records of when she was _younger_." She shrugged helplessly and added, "We don't even know if she had a name besides 'Serenity.' Whatever happened, it destroyed everything before her."

Umina said, "Well that would be a perfect example of why Tensei is right. If the wanderers destroyed everything when they tried to leave here the first time, what's to say nothing and no one survived? Serenity's mother may have released the power of the ginzuishou and passed everything on to her daughter before she died. I bet saving an entire reality takes a whole lot of power."

"Maybe..." Usa murmured, unsure, "but why didn't Queen Serenity leave some kind of record about what happened? I mean, if her mother passed the power on to her, why didn't she remember it and tell the story? Whatever happened to the Caravan all those years ago might be the key to everything. If we can't figure out whatever it was that Serenity's mother knew, everything might be destroyed."

"Don't be so quick to doubt _our_ abilities, Usa-chan." Aikin said quietly, "We've barely tried ourselves against the enemy yet. Now that we know some of what they can do, we'll be better prepared next time."

Umina sighed with frustration and exclaimed, "We shouldn't _have_ to wait until we're beaten before we know what to do! Our mothers did so much more, so much _sooner_! When they met, everything just _clicked_ for them! Why can't it be that way with us?"

"Remember," Kazaki said almost too quietly to hear, "they had the Silver Millennium to learn everything they knew. It's possible that all of their skills from that time transferred over to their new lives. We, on the other hand, are on our first existence. This is our Silver Millennium."

Nakomi's eyes grew wide and she said, "I don't know if I like being compared to the Silver Millennium. I mean, look at what happened to the senshi there."

"Duty is duty." Moriko said simply, "They did what they had to do. I'm sure any one of us would do the same if the situation came up."

"Not me." Tensei said sharply, "I didn't want this power in the first place. There's no way I'm going to destroy my future doing something that I hate."

Aikin frowned and snapped, "If your future is already going to be destroyed, what's the difference? We're fighting to save _everything_ you selfish, spoiled-"

"_Shut...up_." Tensei, shaking with rage, clenched his jaw tightly and snarled, "You...don't...know..._anything_. You have no _idea_ what this is like for me. You have no idea what my life is like. Do you have any idea how much...certain people...want me to be just like them? Every day, all I hear is 'Why are you studying again? You need to train more. A good senshi is always prepared. You should find your sister and train." He looked piercingly at each of them and whispered, "Did it ever occur to any of you that I _like_ to study? Far more than I like to fight? I was _forced_ into this position," He stared at Aikin intently, "So don't ever say that I'm selfish. I'm doing more than my part just by staying here at all."

Nakomi, a black look on her face, started to say something, but Aikin held up a silencing hand. "Tensei...I-"

The other boy shook his head. "Forget it. I should have known you wouldn't understand. You wanted the power so badly you went through two women to get it. I never should have said anything."

Umina was silent through everything, a downcast, thoughtful look on her face. There was an awkward silence, and Usa looked around uncomfortably, unsure of how to break it. Mizumi saved her by saying, "There's some lines of text here that Tensei didn't mention. I think it may be a prophecy." All eyes turned in her direction, and she continued. "Once the wanderers have anchored, only time will force them to move. After a cycle of the brilliant circle of the night, from dark to light, their power will be complete, and the end will arrive."

"From the new moon to the full moon," Kazaki murmured almost inaudibly, "That doesn't give us much time."

"It goes on to say, 'At the moment of truth, when the warrior of light is held powerless, only one who holds the souls of those who balance will turn things and seal the darkness away. The forgotten, forbidden souls. When their names are spoken, all things will change. Their rebirth is the sign of the last warrior. The last messiah."

After a solemn pause, Moriko said, "Is that Usa-san? Is she the last messiah?"

"What does that say about our future then, I wonder?" Umina frowned.

Usa shook her head and said, "This doesn't mean that I'm the last messiah."

Nakomi protested, "But the proof-"

"All the prophecy says is what _could_ happen. We don't even know if it's about us. The end hasn't arrived yet, everyone. We still have chance to beat them before the full moon."

Kazaki nodded and softly said, "Right. Our world can hold out until then."

Ame, looking perturbed, replied, "Yes...but what survives may not be worth saving. You really don't understand what this could do to your reality, do you? Those tendrils with suck up_ all_ of your energy. What remains could be nothing more than a few shriveled plants and unlucky people. Even saving this world could be the end of it. We have next to no time. Repairing the hole they would leave in this reality would be impossible...even for the last messiah."

"This is stupid. What's the point of discussing it? Either we win or we lose. Belaboring the point doesn't help anyone." Tensei, a look of disgust on his face, threw his hands up in the air and got to his feet. "Forget this. I've got better things to do."

"Now wait a _minute_!" Aikin jumped to his feet, but the other boy was already out the door. Punching the door frame lightly with his fist he lightly swore, "Dammit! Stupid, irresponsible..."

Umina got to her feet, a tentative, fragile look on her face that was very out of character. "Please," she whispered, "Don't. He's right...you all just... don't understand. He..." She shook her head, her eyes sad, "You just don't understand."

"So what are we going to do?" Mizumi said. "If what this legend says is true, the Caravan is incredibly powerful. Losing Tensei is a painful blow to our own power. Even if he hates it; there's no denying that he's a very talented fighter. His absence could be what tips the scale against us."

Nakomi shook her head and wagged a finger at the older girl. "Don't forget that we have Ame-chan! She evens things out again, right?"

Usa bit her lip and said, "That's not really the point, Nakomi-chan. Tensei's a part of the _team_. He belongs here just as much as the rest of us do."

The blond frowned and exclaimed, "But _why?_ He doesn't like being Uranus Knight and he's _mean_! If he can't work _with_ the team, maybe we're better off without him!"

"Nakomi-chan," Mizumi said quietly, "If you could remember what Usa, Moriko, and I remember about Tensei, you would never say such a thing."

Nakomi, a look of pure frustration on her face, threw her hands up in the air and shouted, "Well I _can't_ remember what you three do! I tried! I tried really _hard_ to remember whatever it was I supposedly did at the Labyrinth, but I _can't_! Okay? I just can't." She stomped her foot and turned away from them.

Aikin moved towards his sister, but Usa got there first. She put one hand on the younger girl's shoulder and murmured, "Nakomi-chan, your memories will return when the time is right, just like they did for Moriko-chan and Mizumi-chan. Don't worry."

The younger girl sniffled slightly, fighting tears, and whispered, "What if 'the right time' is too late? Huh? Then what happens? The team might die because I couldn't power up like everyone else."

Usa closed her eyes and hugged Nakomi from behind. "Don't worry. Everything will be okay."

Nakomi pulled away and turned to face Usa, tears shining in her eyes. Then, with a final sob, she threw herself into the older girl's arms. Usa stroked her hair softly, making soothing noises.

_Nice job._ Eclipse projected from his perch across the room, _That was handled like a true leader. I suspect you are beginning to remember how it works._

_How it works?_ Usa tipped her nose in the air slightly. _What makes you think I ever _forgot_?_

The falcon made a noise that sounded almost like a chuckle, and Ame looked at him suspiciously out of the corner of her eye. "Did your bird just laugh?"

"I hate to interrupt..." The owner of the voice, who didn't look the least bit sorry for interrupting, strode into the room. "But I'm supposed to update you on our current situation."

Eclipse's eyes narrowed and he hissed warningly.

"Shut up!" The speaker snapped, "No one asked for your opinion."

Usa released Nakomi and looked down at the messenger. "Diana," she said quietly, but clearly, "I'll ask you to be polite to my friends."

The gray cat twitched an eyebrow and sneered, saying, "Even that _bird_? What good is it? All it ever does is sit around and annoy people."

Usa began to grow flustered and she stammered, "_No._ That's not true. Eclipse is one of my closest friends, just like everyone else in the room. He-" She trailed off, looked at the floor, and bit her lip.

Nakomi, after wiping her eyes, jutted her chin defiantly and snapped, "Eclipse helps us more than you ever have, Diana. All you do is sulk around by Neo-Princess Selenity-sama."

Umina, her melancholy mood broken by the attack on her leader, added, "Yeah. In case you've forgotten, your _parents_ were _useful_ in their time. They actually _helped_ the senshi try to solve the problems they faced. Instead, you have the nerve to come in here and harass Usa-chan, who, I might add, is doing a wonderful job _despite_ the fact that her intended advisor is a spoiled rotten bitch."

Diana's mouth opened and closed a few times, a look of complete shock on her face. Finally, her ears flat against her skull, she snapped, "Apparently what I thought about all of you was true; you are a bunch of unorganized, untrained, unfit senshi. Uranus Knight," she said with a smirk, "Doesn't even seem to be here. What team spirit on his part. Bravo to all of you," she said loftily, "I'm sure you'll guarantee the fall of Crystal Tokyo with your inept bumbling."

She twitched her tail, and Kazaki quietly asked, "Did you say you came here to give us a message, Diana-san?"

The cat blinked with surprise, but quickly hid it and replied, "Yes. I did. I was told to tell you that a few pockets of disturbance have appeared along the northern boundary of Crystal Tokyo. Neo-Queen Serenity suggests that you send a few of your senshi to investigate while the rest of you remain here to guard the city." Without another word, the cat turned and strode out of the room.

Moriko sighed and exclaimed, "What was _that_ all about! I mean, I know you and Diana don't really see a whole lot of each other, but when did she develop such hostility towards us?"

Usa sighed and answered, "She's _always_ been that way. As you all know, when I was born, there was a huge scandal. Mama had already been having emotional problems after the death of my father, and she was close to a nervous breakdown. When I was actually born, several rumors started in the city that I was actually Neo-Queen Serenity's daughter, and that Mama was just being humored because she was delusional. The fact that I look just like King Endymion and Neo-Queen Serenity really didn't help matters. Mother had a nervous collapse, and the senshi stifled the rumors the best they could. Her recovery was slow at best."

Usa bit her lip, her eyes sad as she remembered her mother's suffering. "Diana blamed _me_ for the collapse. She thought that I was the reason Mama was so unhappy... When I was around five, she actually attacked me, scratched up and down one of my arms. After that I stayed as far from my Mother as I could. I knew Diana didn't like me, and I didn't want to make things any worse for my mother. Even as my mother recovered, things never got better between Diana and me. Mama doesn't have a clue. I don't think it has ever occurred to her that Diana is even capable of _being_ cruel. I..I don't want to tell her. Diana is _wonderful_ to my mother; she always has been, and hearing that Diana is terrible to me wouldn't solve anything. For awhile, things weren't that bad between us; I avoided Diana, and she ignored me. However, just recently, she's started up with me again. Harassing me when she sees me, and telling me how stupid and inept we are. I think...I think she's angry because I became the next Sailormoon. I think...she wanted Mama to wake up as a sailor senshi again. She trained with Sailorchibimoon, and wants to show everyone that all the bad things anyone ever said about Mama aren't true. But, she waited too long. _Everything_ waited too long. If the attacks had come a few hundred years ago, they would have been young enough still, and maybe things would have been different. She just waited too long..."

"Usa-chan," Aikin said softly, "None of that is your fault. You shouldn't let Diana push you around like that!"

Usa blushed and ducked her head, murmuring, "I know, but I'm so used to it I don't even think about it anymore. When I try to stand up to her, I get this picture in my head of this huge gray cat screaming at me. I was _terrified_ of her as a child."

_I could take care of that._

Usa looked over at the falcon with surprise, who looked completely serious.

"No!" She laughed slightly, a tear or two leaking from her eyes and repeated, "No, that okay." She ran to Eclipse and threw her arms around him. He clucked indolently and ran his beak through her hair.

Umina and Mizumi looked up from where they were talking with their heads close together, and Mizumi said, "Usa-chan, I want you to let Umina, Tensei, and me go and explore those energy waves up north."

"Mizumi-chan..." She looked dazed by the idea that her friend might leave her, and the blue-haired girl laughed and responded, "Don't worry! It won't take that long! We should be back in no more than a few days."

Umina added, "I think Tensei needs to get away from the group for awhile...and from other pressures."

Usa nodded slowly, understanding crossing her face. "Okay. You can leave later today."


	9. Chapter 8

**The Truth About Minako, A Shattered and Confusing Love**

"What do you mean he's gone? He didn't even tell us he was leaving!" Haruka stared at her partner, Michiru, with amazement. "They just packed up and left? That's it? Without a word?" The aqua-haired woman sighed and softly said, "Haruka...they're _senshi_ now. They have the right to do almost anything they want." The blond shook her head.

"No. Not without our permission they don't. We are still their parents, Michiru!"

"Haruka!" The calm woman's normally serene voice held a sharp edge that she rarely directed at the other. "You have _got_ to make up your mind."

"What? What are you-"

"You're always telling Tensei that he should train more, train harder, and become a fantastic senshi. He resists you every step of the way because that isn't what he _wants_ for himself. You say destiny is destiny, and that he should be grateful for the chance he was given, forgetting the fact that _being_ a senshi robs you of your life. Do you remember what it was like before we were senshi? It was so very long ago, I can barely recall. As a senshi, you live to be a senshi, and not to be yourself. It's a very hard life, Haruka. Now, when he's showing that maybe he's going to deal with being a senshi after all, you throw a fit and forbid it."

"Michiru-"

"He's trying to please you and please himself at the same time. You can't have your cake and eat it too. Either he's a senshi or he isn't. You've got to decide which you see him as and accept it."

"I did all that..." Haruka looked dazed, and she shook her head slightly. Looking at the floor, her eyes holding a distant look, she finally met Michiru's gaze, nodded, and said, "All right then. He's a senshi."

0

"Destiny is destiny." Aikin sighed and looked at the small bird on his windowsill. His sister's phrase echoed through his mind again.

_"Aikin, there was nothing you do. Destiny is destiny. You were meant to be Guardian Pluto. We've just got to accept who we are."_

"Why does that bother me so much? What is it about that that feels wrong to me?" He sighed softly and brushed a loose piece of hair from his eyes.

_Destiny...what a horrible concept. Is it destiny that we should always protect the princess, regardless of what we feel? Is it destiny that Hotaru is repeatedly reborn as Sailorsaturn, despite her obvious unhappiness? Is it destiny that Sailorpluto had to stay alone at the Gate of Time all those..._

Aikin felt himself grow pale, and he swallowed sharply, whispering, "Alone at the Gate...Oh God." Jumping to his feet, he turned and ran from his room, shouting, "Mother! Mama! Where are you?" His thoughts racing, he tore down that stairs, still shouting.

"MOTHER! Where _are_ you? _MOTHER!_" With something between a gasp and a sob, he crashed into the door just as Minako was opening it.

"Aikin!" She called cheerfully, "You'll never guess what I found when-" She jumped and dropped the package she was holding as he grabbed her shoulders roughly. Something shattered in the bag as it hit the ground, but Minako's eyes were locked on her son's.

"Who was he?" He demanded roughly.

"What? _Who_? Aikin, what's going o-"

"Who was he? My father. _Who_?" He gave her a quick shake, and Minako cried out. "Stop it! You're _hurting_ me. Aikin, let go!"

"Tell me!" He shook her again, and fire flashed behind his mother's eyes. Despite her flighty, innocent appearance, Minako was a fighter, something her son too often forgot. With a quick jerk, she pulled loose of his hands and strode over to a couch. Sitting down, she calmly said, "He was a musician. I met him at a club. It was a one night thing. That's it."

Aikin sat down shakily in a chair across from her. "That's it? You didn't know anything about him?"

Minako shrugged and replied, "No, not really. It was sort of an attack on Serenity in my own way. She was trying to get us to marry as soon as possible. I don't know why. She thought we were unhappy. Maybe, in some ways, we were, but not like that." Almost casually, she added, "That was one of Usagi-chan's biggest problems when we were young, you know. She always had to meddle." The blond woman laughed musically and ruefully admitted, "It was the same problem I had, I suppose. Always searching for love..." She trailed off and stared at the wall, lost deep in thought. Aikin, however, was too upset to allow her the moment.

"_Mother_." He said sharply, bring her back quickly.

"Ah, I'm sorry, Aikin. It's just, that sometimes I wish we were young again...it's hard to be important for so many years. When it ends, you realize that an entire portion of your life might have been so different if just one thing had changed..." Minako started to drift off again, and Aikin quickly asked, "What was he like? What did he look like?"

"Look like? A lot like you I suppose. His hair was about the same color, but he wore it much shorter than yours. Very trim and neat. He was built like you too. Tall. His eyes were dark red though. I don't know where the green in yours comes from." She laughed, slightly painfully, and added, "I haven't thought about him in the longest time."

"And his name?"

"His name?" Minako looked surprised, and she paused, thinking hard, "I don't know...I can't...Toki, something, I think...Umm..."

"Toki...something?" Aikin felt his heart sink.

"Oh! I remember! Tokinazo Hayato."

"That settles it then." Aikin sighed heavily and put his head in his hands. (Tokinazo breaks down into "Mysterious Time")

"Settles what? Aikin, what's _wrong_ with you? What's with this sudden need to know who your father is?"

"I had to know my name."

"Why? What difference does it make?"

"Nako-chan and I went to see Setsuna-san this morning." Although thrown by the sudden change in subject, Minako asked, "How is she doing?"

Aikin shook his head. "Not that well. She still isn't conscious. But, Mama," he took a deep breath and continued, "When we were leaving the room, I said I felt guilty, and Nako-chan said that 'destiny is destiny' and that we should 'accept who we are."

"That's good advice."

Aikin shrugged. "I guess so, but something was bothering me about what she said. I've been thinking about it all day, and finally figured out what it was. I'm Guardian Pluto."

His mother looked at him like he was crazy. "Yes...and?"

"What did Sailorpluto do for hundreds of thousands of years before you met her?"

Minako spoke patiently, as if to a child. "She stood watch at the Gate of Time and made sure nothing apocalyptic happened with the flow of time. But what-oh." Her blue eyes widened, and she exclaimed, "No! I won't allow it! I _won't_! Setsuna-san was permanently, emotionally, _scarred_ after being there alone for all those years! She is the most distant, _lonely_ person I've ever seen! You are _not_ going back there when all of this is over! I won't allow it."

"You can't stop it. I'm the senshi now, not you. There's nothing you can do to keep me here when the time comes. There's nothing _anyone_ can do." He sighed heavily and got slowly to his feet, adding, "It's not your fault, you know. As Nako said, 'destiny is destiny." He blinked and then said, "Hey, yeah. What about Nako-chan? Who is _her_ father?"

Minako was already crying, and she buried her face in her hands. "I can't tell you." Her voice was muffled, and her shoulders shook with repressed sobs.

"You can't tell me? Or you don't know?"

"I can't tell you. Oh Aikin! Please don't ask me this! I hate to lie to you, and I _can't_ tell you."

There was a twisting feeling beginning in the pit of his stomach, and he whispered, "Why not?" He slid to the floor and walked on his knees to the couch where his mother was now sobbing. "Mama...please...if you're that upset, this might be _important_. Names, they can say a lot. Look at what mine told me. Please...tell me." He put on hand on her knee, and she looked down at him, tears running freely down her face.

"Nakomi-chan...Nakomi...Nakomi-chan...is me."

"What?"

"Nakomi-chan doesn't have a father. I created her, after you. _B__ecause_ of you."

"I don't understand, how could you..." He trailed off, at a complete loss for words.

Minako swallowed, her crying slowing. "When you were born, I loved you so much! You were so sweet and tiny and cute. I loved you more than anyone, and I would have done anything for you."

She smiled wryly and said, "It seems I still would, ne?"

Aikin smiled weakly, but with hesitation and confusion behind his eyes.

Minako, her face downcast, sighed and continued with, "After a few years, I realized that the other senshi all had children, even Haruka-san and Michiru-san. I'm not as unobservant as I think the others see me as. I suspected something like this might happen. What happens when the senshi get old? Crystal Tokyo will live forever, but its guardians, although we'll live for a while, aren't truly immortal. I think Serenity realized the same thing in her heart, and was manipulating the senshi to provide for this problem."

Aikin went to say something, but bit his lip. Then, shaking his head, he said, "I can't believe that. I don't know Serenity-sama as well as you, but, _no one_ could be so inconsiderate of others! I mean, what if they didn't _want_ children? I can't believe she'd just go ahead and cause it anyway!"

Minako smiled gently and replied, "But she _did_. This really happened. Check the birthdays of all the firstborn, Aikin. You, Mizumi, Kazaki, Usa, Shinoki, Umina, and Tensei, were all born in the same year." She chuckled slightly and added, "Did you know that Tensei and Umina have different birthdays? They were born at the end of one day and the start of another. I think Umina is the older one. Funny, ne? Tensei seems to be the one in control of their relationship..."

She smiled weakly, and Aikin murmured, "I think you'd be surprised."

Minako sighed and continued. "The line of Uranus always had a..._masculine_ feel to it, so I don't think the fact that Tensei was male ever had any impact. However, Jupiter's power is decidedly female, and that posed a problem with Shinoki. I don't think this ever occurred to Mako-chan, but suspiciously she became pregnant again not long after Shinoki was born. When she found out it was a girl, that gave me an idea. I didn't want you to end up forced to take the power of Venus, so I decided to replace myself _with_ myself."

Aikin shook his head and said, "This is the part where you lost me the first time."

"I was the senshi of love. With love, comes sex, and with sex comes reproduction. Therefore, in a roundabout way, I was also the senshi of reproduction. I used the power of Venus to make myself pregnant. However, there is no father. Just me. I figured that the baby would be a copy of me, and therefore I would just be passing the power on to myself, causing no harm to anyone. I didn't want to damn you the way _I_ was cursed with this power." She started to cry again, this time silent tears gliding down her cheeks.

"However," she continued, "it didn't take long for me to realize that Nakomi-chan _wasn't_ the same as me. Similar, but not the same. I had succeeded in creating a copy of myself physically, but not emotionally, not mentally. With this mistake I-"

"Mistake?" Nakomi's shrill voice shattered the bond between mother and son, and Minako jumped to her feet.

"Nakomi-chan! It's not like that! You don't understand!"

Nakomi stood in the doorway, tears streaking her face, the package her mother had dropped crunching under her feet. The blond shook with betrayal and grief and she shouted, "I don't _understand_? _Mother!..._" She shook her head disbelievingly. "I'm not even a real person."

She glared at the two inside the house and yelled, "What kind of freak doesn't even have a father? I'm just you're pathetic copy, a failed experiment, a hope that you wouldn't have to do your duty forever. I'm just your answer to being irresponsible."

She shook her head and added, "You're wrong about your friends, Mother. They know exactly what you're like. Like this. Irresponsible until the end. Well, you know something? Forget it. I'm not doing your work for you anymore. If I'm you and you're me, than I choose to make _you_ do the work."

She held out her hand, and an orange wand topped with a golden diamond engraved with the sign of Venus appeared in her hand. She looked at it for a moment longer, her face calm, and traced the symbol with the tip of her finger. Then, with a savage snarl, she threw it as hard as she could across the room.

"There you go!" She snapped, "It's all yours! Enjoy it! _Forever_!" She whirled and slammed the door behind her, leaving her family in shocked silence.

"Aikin," his mother turned to him as he got to his feet, her eyes begging. "You've got to go after her!"

"No."

"What? What do you mean? You _have_ to! She-"

"_No_. She was _right._ About _everything_. You've been running away for too long. She needs _you_, not me. If she truly wasn't a mistake, she needs to hear that from you, not from me." He laughed bitterly and added, "I was always amazed at how close our family was. I could never figure out how we managed it; I just knew that I loved you and Nako-chan more than anything in the world. Now," he shook his head, "I don't know _what_ to think. You're different from everything I thought I knew about you. How _could_ you? How could you play with a life that way?"

Minako was back on the couch, crying and hugging a pillow to her chest. "I thought it was my own life-"

"No! How could it be your own life? Mother, you couldn't have consciousness in two places at once! No matter how you look at it, the baby _couldn't_ have been exactly the same as you! It would have still been a separate you, a separate entity. You were always going to damn someone besides yourself, you just wouldn't let yourself see it."

He shook his head and said, "Go and find Nako-chan. Fix things with her, if you can. I don't know if you can ever fix things between you and me." She reached out for him, but he shook his head and turned away. Without a backwards glance, he turned and walked out of the house, leaving Minako by herself.

"I'm sorry, Aikin! Nakomi-chan!" She cried to the empty house through her tears, "Forgive me!"

0

_What do you do when you find out you don't matter anymore?_ Nakomi sighed and a tear slid off her nose and down to the ground below. _The city looks so small and unimportant from way up here. You can barely even see the people._

The sun was setting in the west, giving everything a rosy glow. For as long as she could remember, her head was the clearest the higher up she went. _My whole life has meant nothing. Everything I've ever thought or done or believed was fake._ Another tear fell to the world below, and the city began to light up.

"Why did she even bother?" She asked the sky softly, "If nothing counts, then why should I even live? Things would be _easier_ if I was just some mindless copy of mother. Then I won't hurt this much." Nakomi sighed. "Maybe I should just jump and get it over with."

Suddenly, the world seemed to be much clearer. An easy solution. The way out of everything.

"I can stop the pain." She murmured to herself. Getting to her feet, she looked down at the city, now glittering like a beautiful diamond against the starry backdrop of the night sky.

_ So perfect from far away,_ she thought, _and yet, so troubled within. Who would look down at it and know that we only have until the moon is full before the world ends?_

She shook herself slightly pushing away thoughts of the enemy and her abandoned duty as a senshi. Instead, she took a step towards the edge and peered down. The whizzing lights of passing cars made her slightly dizzy, but she didn't step back.

"If you jump," she told herself calmly, "Mother can never use you again. She'll be forced to become Sailorvenus again, and it will serve her right." Somehow, the bitter words felt wrong in her mouth. She frowned.

"Don't I want her to pay for what she's done?" Pausing to think, she realized, with no small amount of surprise, that she didn't.

"I just...want to stop the aching feeling in my soul." She stifled a sob and wrapped her arms around herself.

_This is the only way._ She waited, and when no nagging feelings disagreed with her, she nodded.

"All right then."

"NO! Don't Nakomi-chan!" The blond started nervously, and teetered on the edge for a moment. Regaining her balance, she turned to face her mother. "Stop right there," She said calmly, "Come any closer, and I'll jump right now."

Her mother froze and asked, "What are you _doing?_"

"I'm ending what never should have been started. You created something that shouldn't exist. I'm nothing but a selfish creation of your own fear and laziness." She hugged herself desperately, shut her eyes tightly and shouted, "I _hurt_! I hurt too much to live. This is your power at work. _This_," she gestured to herself, "is what happens when the power of love is abused. You had it in your hands, the ability to do _anything_, and you corrupted it with your own selfish wish for release."

Minako was on her knees, crying, and she whispered, "I know. Don't you think I know? But what do you want me to say? I could never apologize enough for you to believe me. All I can say is that I'll carry this mark on my soul for the rest of eternity. Beyond even death."

The only sound on the rooftop was the distant noise of traffic far below and the soft rustle of the wind. Finally, Minako said, "You misunderstood me when I said the word 'mistake' back at the house."

Nakomi tensed, but didn't reply.

"I didn't mean that _you_ were a mistake. I meant that to abuse life in such a way was a mistake. You and Aikin are the best things that I've ever had in my life. When I looked at my friends, with their happily married lives and children, the only thing that consoled me was the fact that I had you two. When we were a family, before all of this started, and before you two had to become senshi, I don't think I've ever been happier. After what happened today, I think it may be the happiest I'll _ever_ be. Nakomi-chan," she slowly got to her feet. "I can't say I'm sorry enough to please you, I know, but, let me just say that you'll always have a place here. Even if you can't find it in your heart to ever love me again, think about Aikin and Moriko-chan. Moriko-chan already lost her mother and her brother, her father always works, and Nonaki-chan, although loving, wants Moriko-chan to be her mother. Aikin is losing..." she sighed unhappily, "_everything._"

That got Nakomi's attention. "What? What are talking about?"

Minako sighed again and said, "He's going to have to go back to the Gate of Time when all of this is over. If he loses you now, the way he's already lost me, he won't have anyone left but Umina, and Umina...has problems of her own."

Nakomi hesitated, but then shook her head stubbornly. "Aikin is strong, and so is Moriko-chan. They'd be fine without me."

"What about the Sailor Team? One less person could be the end of them, you know. Despite what you think, I can't be Sailorvenus anymore. That power has been passed to you."

Nakomi hesitated again, and a little voice in her head whispered, _Tensei already wants to quit remember. That's _two_ people missing from the team, not just one._ She shook her head with confusion. Do_ I have a place here? Even after being a copy?_

"Nakomi-chan," her mother said quietly, "You are _you_. That's why I understood that I made a mistake by playing with life. That was the mistake that I finally understood. _Everyone_ is their own person. You, me, Aikin, _everyone_. Please, come down. By throwing your life away, you're going to make the biggest mistake of _your_ life."

When Nakomi showed no signs of moving, Minako stepped forwards slowly. She reached into her pocket and produced Venus' henshin wand. Holding it out in a shaky hand, her mother took another step forward.

_ I am...myself. Always._ She nodded and reached for the wand. Their fingers brushed, and Nakomi was suddenly barraged with images.

She was SailorVenus, and Aikin struggled as Guardian Saturn. They were all racing through the Labyrinth, threatened on all sides, and one by one they fell to the demons of the Divine One. She was imprisoned in crystal, able to see everything and capable of doing nothing. Black Lady stood before them, and Kage, and her face _hurt_ and–

Nakomi, overwhelmed by what she was seeing, took a step back and toppled over the edge.

The first thought to enter her mind was, _At least I'm wearing pants. It would be horrible if someone could see up my skirt._ Eyes closed, face serene, Nakomi didn't hear the sound of her mother screaming her name high above.

_I wonder what it will be like to die...Mama...I'm sorry, I didn't mean to die yet. Things just happened this way._

"Nako-chan!"

Her eyes snapped open and she gasped, "Aikin?"

"Nakomi-chan!" Moriko's voice was pleading and she sounded like she was about to cry.

"Nakomi-chan." Kazaki whispered on the wind.

No longer, calm, the blond cried, "What do you want me to do? It's too late!"

"Nakomi-chan," Ame murmured softly.

"Nakomi-chan," The twins said together, one more sarcastic than the other, but both calling her nonetheless.

"Nakomi-chan," Mizumi chided, _"If you could remember what Usa, Moriko, and I remember..."_

_Remember...I have to finish remembering!_ She closed her eyes again and opened her heart.

_Nakomi-chan,_ Usa's voice whispered as a silver falcon sped towards her, _Please remember us._ Blue eyes snapped open, and Nakomi threw her hand into the air, the symbol of Venus blazing to light on her forehead.

"Venus Crystal Power, Make-Up!" A ball of golden energy surrounded her, and Sailorvenus' heels clicked slightly as she landed gently on the concrete. She looked herself over, the orange in her uniform now shimmering with silver glitter, and with a pleased laugh said, "I remember."

She turned, and when she caught sight of her face in the reflection of the window, her happy demeanor sobered somewhat. Touching the reflection and then the long scar that branched across the length of her face and over the bridge of her nose, she murmured, "I remember that too."

"Sailorvenus!" A voice sobbed from behind her. Venus turned and opened her arms as her mother ran towards her.


	10. Chapter 9

**The Strange Boy Yukino Tora, The Arrival of Uninvited Guests**

"When are we going to get there?" The normally cheerful voice was slightly petulant, and she sighed loudly, adding, "We've been traveling for too _long_! You said we'd be there soon, Inari."

The calmer voice, Inari, replied, "We _will_ be there soon. This has taken a few days. The last time we were summoned it took over a month, remember?"

Chiron softly said, "Don't worry. The Balance Star is never wrong. Once we get there, you'll be glad that you had to wait even a few days."

The first voice sighed again and mumbled, "I hope so. Inari always gets cranky when she's impatient and she keeps yelling at me."

"I wasn't yelling! If you weren't so annoying all the time, no one would have to tell you to be quiet. Mura, your problem is that you talk _too _much!"

"At least I _talk_. Zelia just sits there and stares at the Earth all the time. Maybe she thinks staring will get us to moving faster?" Mura's voice was teasing, but just a little hopeful underneath.

"No," Zelia replied, "I just don't think wasting my energy hovering around and talking all the time will get us there any sooner. Just stay calm. When we reach the Earth, there will be enough time for energy. Don't worry."

"Right. Then, we get to go after the ginzuishou!" Mura, with a pleased laugh, clapped her hands.

0

"Any sign yet?" Sailorneptune looked to Mercury, whose head was slightly bent to see her computer screen better.

The blue-haired girl shook her head. "No. None."

Uranus Knight signed and collapsed to the ground. Yawning widely, he muttered, "I'm beginning to think this whole energy disturbance deal was just another way Diana could get at Usa-chan. By sending some of her senshi away to check on some non-existent problem while there's a crisis on hand will make her look really bad in front of everyone."

His sister rolled her eyes and said, "Diana was using _you_ against Usa-chan already. How do you think it looks when you're not even at the meetings when someone walks in?"

Uranus shrugged, refusing to be baited, and replied, "I said I was sorry. I was having a bad day, okay? What do you want me to say?" He shrugged again and added, "I've got issues. You, of all people, should know that."

Neptune pursed her lips, opened her mouth, and then shut it. She hovered indecisively for another moment, and finally, with a sigh of exasperation, threw her hands up in the air and turned her back to him.

"I-I'm getting readings of some kind," Sailormercury said slowly, "but these read-outs don't make any _sense_. I've never seen anything like this before." She shook her head with confusion and tapped a few more keys. She faltered again and said, "I just don't _know_! These readings..."

Uranus got to his feet and moved to stand behind her. She obligingly moved the computer so he could better see the screen, and he carefully scanned the data she had collected.

"This looks sort of like the inter-reality stuff Ame-san was trying to explain to me. This symbol _here_," he pointed to the screen, "keep repeatedly showing up." He quickly scanned the area, which appeared to be a barren, abandoned city from the pre-Crystal Tokyo era, and added, "This is a good hint that something actually is going on here at least.

Mercury nodded her head and pushed another button, saying, "The strongest readings seem to be coming from over there. At least, that symbol appears the most often when I scan that area. The problem is, I've been registering some really strange weather patterns. Massive dust storms, tornadoes, even an earthquake or two. If we're going try and get over there, we're going to be walking directly into the heart of the storm.

Sailorneptune, looking mildly annoyed that she was being left out of the conversation, said, "Isn't the heart of the storm supposed to be really calm or something?"

Her brother raised an eyebrow and murmured, "That's the _eye_ of the storm, Neptune."

She blushed and mumbled, "Oh."

He sighed and then squeezed her shoulder momentarily. She smiled weakly and he smirked at her wryly, his expression betrayed by the true affection in his eyes. Then, releasing his twin, he turned back to Mercury's computer.

"We have to check it out. Can you plot the safest course through the weather, Sailormercury?"

She hit a few keys and then shook her head. "I'm sorry. The events are completely random. Plotting a course would be impossible. I can't even tell you what the least dangerous hazard is, because at this magnitude, to be caught in any of them would probably be fatal."

"I wonder how we could get through without being killed..." Uranus gazed off into the distance, lost deep in thought. Neptune tapped her foot impatiently.

_For pity's sake! We're going to be here the rest of our lives if we wait for them to decide what to do! Between her calculations and his grandiose plans, by the time we have a course of action the world will have been swallowed by nothingness! It looks like I'll have to take things into my own hands._

"That's it."

Both Mercury and Uranus jumped with surprise and then turned to look.

Neptune, hands on her hips, continued with, "This is ridiculous. You," she pointed to Mercury, "have already said that there is no way through safely. So using your computer to analyze the problem further isn't going to change anything. And you," she pointed to Uranus Knight, "have already said that we have to go and investigate."

The two stared at her blankly. The aqua-haired senshi sighed with annoyance and slowly said, "We...can't...just...stand...here...We've...got...to...go...into...the...storms."

When they continued to look at her expectantly, Neptune threw her hands up in the air and exclaimed, "What else do you want me to say? You two are the smart ones. Find the calmest course at the moment and let's go before things get even worse!"

Uranus and Mercury stared at each other for a moment, frozen with indecision, and then nodded at the same time. Mercury's fingers flew over the keyboard at a shocking speed, and Uranus already had his communicator in his hand. Mere seconds after Mercury had begun, she transferred the information and combined it with what Uranus had learned. A map projected itself from Uranus' communicator, a bright red line leading the way to a bright red circle at the end. He looked at Neptune, who was staring at them with shock, and said, "You wanted action, didn't you, Neptune? Come on, we've got to hurry." The senshi of water and the knight of Uranus took off, leaving the shocked senshi of the ocean behind.

_I think they may be even smarter than I thought. She looked up all that information and analyzed it in less than thirty seconds, and he fixed the map in even less time. _ She shrugged and told herself, "Luckily, they'll always need you to push them into action!" With a pleased smile, she posed.

"Neptune! What are you doing? Get a move on!" She blushed as her brother shouted for her and stopped preening.

_Oops. Get caught inflating your own ego and you'll never here the end of it. You heard him! Get moving!_

"Sorry! I'm coming!"

0

"Setsuna-san? It's me, Nichino Kazaki. Mother thought maybe your spirit needed guidance. I-I know I'm not really fully trained as a Shinto priestess yet, but my physic energy is quite strong, so I might be able to help you anyway...if you'll let me. Please, Setsuna-san, please come back. You've got so many people waiting for you to wake up."

Kazaki sighed lightly and settled herself near the bedside of the still woman. Looking at the former senshi of time, the daughter of Rei was shocked at the difference that just a few days had caused in her appearance. Setsuna's long, dark hair, usually so neat, was knotted and matted with sweat. Her glowing bronze skin was now pale and sallow. Her ruby eyes were wide, but she was staring blankly at the ceiling. Massive bags ringed them darkly, making her face seem gaunt and her eyes sunken.

"Oh, Setsuna-san..." Kazaki breathed softly, "Don't be afraid any more. We're here for you."

0

"What _is_ that?" Sailormercury stood with her mouth agape, her computer forgotten in one hand.

"I dunno." Uranus Knight shook his head and added, "It's like nothing I've ever seen or heard about."

A funnel of dark orange twisted in place and threw streamers of lime green energy into the sky. Globs of orange and yellow energy fell to ground with sickening thuds. Where they landed, slime oozed in all directions, twisting as if it had a mind of its own and streaked with dark lines of red.

Sailorneptune shook her head. "Come on. You guys are telling me you can't recognize an enemy when you see one? Just _look_ at that thing! It _must_ be the reason for the energy disturbances! If I've ever seen a monster, and from what Usa and Moriko tell me of the Labyrinth, I have," she winked, "I've never seen more of a monster than _that_."

"A monster? I'm insulted. That's not a monster. It's my projection."

All three turned slightly in the direction of the whiny, annoying voice. The owner matched the voice. A shifty-eyed, weasel-like young man with spiky bright orange hair and red eyes bowed mockingly and said, "Yukino Tora, phase four animal trainer of the Caravan, at your service."

Neptune nodded smugly, "Uh-huh. See? I told you. It's a monster."

Tora frowned and repeated, "I already _told_ you once! It's _not_ a monster! It's my _projection!_"

"Excuse me, Tora-san, but what's projection?" Mercury held herself warily, but made no move to attack unless she needed to defend herself.

Uranus rolled his eyes and muttered to himself, "Unbelievable. She stops in the middle of a possible battle to have a polite question and answer session with the enemy."

Tora looked over at him, a gleam in his eye, and replied, "You would rather we get directly to the fighting? Sometimes, to know your enemy is to beat him."

Uranus shook his head mockingly and replied, "Not impressed, but feel free." He gestured for the two to continue, and added, "I would never doubt Sailormercury's judgment. If she thinks talking to you might help, then I trust her."

Mercury, finding herself in an unaccustomed position as the center of attention, swallowed hard and repeated, "Tora-san? What is a projection?"

Tora levitated, his bright cloak of yellow billowing around him, and sat crossed legged in the air.

"Well...," he drawled slowly, yawning widely as he did so. "Each member of the Blue Moon Caravan enters a new reality one at a time. Our titles stem from when we enter. Hence my title being fourth phase animal trainer. My phase, by the way, would be the moon when it's three quarters full." He pointed to his belt, which bore the moon of his phase. He took a deep breath and suddenly laughed for no apparent reason. It was a piercing, high-pitched titter, and the senshi cringed. He stopped just as suddenly and mumbled, "Now where was I?"

"We were _still_ waiting for you to explain what a projection is." Neptune's voice barely hid her impatience, and Tora raised an eyebrow slightly.

"So fiery," he murmured, "what a waste on a senshi of the waters."

"What?" Neptune blurted, "How did you know I was..." She shook her head and trailed off.

He giggled and replied, "That's my little secret, but since it's an easy one I'll give you a hint. What other element would use the colors that you wear?" Neptune shrugged and Mercury said, "What about wind? There's a lot of green in her fuku."

Tora shook his head and answered, "Nah. Her personality is all wrong for wind. She'd have to be impatient and harbor a secret hidden strength in her heart. Her strength is all too apparent on the outside."

Sailorneptune was obviously only following parts of the conversation, but she shook her head with annoyance and snapped, "This doesn't have anything to do with my personality or about my fuku!" She threw her head back arrogantly and said, "I'm Sailorneptune, senshi of the oceans."

Tora nodded his head and replied, "See? I told you. She's the senshi of waters, _not_ the senshi of air."

Uranus Knight sighed with exasperation and said, "_We_ already knew she was the senshi of the ocean. _You_ were the one who asked what other type of senshi she could be."

Tora shrugged and bobbed slightly in the air. He shut his eyes, hummed a few bars of a song, and then announced, "Entry energy channeled into something physical."

"Excuse me?" Sailormercury looked to her partners to see if they had understood.

The twins shrugged simultaneously and Tora sniggered, and with his eyes still closed, said, "You've got them trained to perform at the same time! That's fantastic! I'll have to see if some of _my_ pets won't do the same." He sighed mournfully and added, "Probably not."

Sailorneptune, recognizing a direct insult at last, snarled, "We are _not_ trained! We just happened to shrug at the same time!"

"Your projection would be..." he paused thoughtfully and then laughed with delight.

"That's fantastic! Congratulations, Ocean Girl. I don't think you'll _ever_ guess this one! However," he finally opened his orange eyes, "I don't think I'll tell you. Maybe you'll see it someday for yourself."

He pointed to Uranus and said, "The wolf. Loyal to the pack until the end, but a loner at the same time. Willing to die to protect a pack..." he smiled slyly, "sister."

Uranus stiffened, but Mercury held out a calming hand and said, "Wait. You're talking about projections, aren't you." It wasn't really a question, and already she was answering herself. "Entry energy channeled into something physical. That's the definition of a projection, isn't it? That's what those monsters we've been fighting have been. Projections of the Caravan members entering our reality."

Tora nodded and said, "Very good, Smart Girl. You are the cat. Quiet, seemingly calm, but actually quite clever and observant. Possessive. Secretive. I'll bet you know a lot more than you let on to anyone."

The blue-haired senshi seemed a little shaken, but she didn't respond.

Tora sighed and drifted towards the ground like a wobbly leaf in the wind. "I'm getting bored," he said dully, examining his fingernails with minute interest.

Sailormercury's eyes widened slightly, and Neptune seemed to sense that losing Tora's attention was probably not the best course of action. They were drastically underpowered, and if he was as strong as the other two members of the Caravan had been and decided to attack them, the results could be disastrous.

"Tell us about your..." Uranus groped for words, "projection." The trainer, his attention back on the senshi, smiled brilliantly and lifted back into the air.

"Isn't it impressive?"

They all turned to look at the hulking orange monstrosity. Tora shook a careless hand in its direction and said, "I mean, sure, it's not much to look at, but it's got real power." He closed his eyes and rotated in the air until he was floating upside-down. "That's the problem with the others' projections. Too flashy. Especially Fate Boy. He just doesn't get it. I mean, sure, his projection is probably the most attractive, but the thing barely has enough energy in it to get off the ground. What's the point of having a projection if it all it's going to do is look pretty?"

Tora shook his head and continued to ramble. "Now, Song Girl had a pretty good idea too." He opened his eyes and said, "You guys met her and the Dancing Leg right? They're the ones that look identical except one's red and one's yellow?"

When the senshi nodded he nodded his head with satisfaction and replied, "That's what I thought. You're the ones who got them caught." He shook his head mournfully and added, "They're grounded from this reality now thanks to that little stunt they pulled."

"You mean attacking Ryuu-san?" Mercury looked anxious, but Tora, completely oblivious to her, nodded his head calmly and answered, "Yeah, that's the one. They really got it good when they got caught. What a sight." He shrugged, an interesting spectacle from his reversed position, re-closed his eyes and said, "Anyway, Song Girl conned the Dancing Leg out of some of her entry energy. Smart cookie, right? The Dancing Leg's projection, that would be the tentacle-thing by the way, used to be a lot prettier, but Song Girl wanted to try her hand at a better projection. She promised to share with the Dancing Leg on the next cycle. Song Girl's projection turned out pretty good. The glowing eyes on the snake were a particularly nice touch."

He sighed sadly and added, "It's too bad all that spirit energy suddenly appeared and destroyed it." He rotated until he was right side up and opened his eyes again. His voice suddenly serious, he said, "You wouldn't happen to know anything about that, would you? Spirit energy of that magnitude is almost never found. To have so much of it gather in one place like that is a true miracle."

Sailormercury didn't comment, and Uranus Knight shrugged noncommittally. Sailorneptune looked as though she would rather kiss a dead rat than speak to Tora any more. She was obviously still holding a grudge from the trained animal remark he had made about her and Uranus.

Tora made a clucking noise in his throat and mumbled, "That's too bad, because energy like that would be wonderful to harness. It's quite powerful, and pure spirits are almost as strong as the power of pure, innocent, true love." When he still got no response from them he shrugged and dropped the subject. He began to slowly float towards the ground again, and asked, "Anything else? I feel boredom setting in once more."

Mercury looked helplessly to the twins, and finally, Neptune blurted, "Tell us about your pets."

The light in Tora's eyes appeared once more, and he replied, "Well, my newest pet is easily my most fantastic. We found her-" Suddenly, he stopped as if he had been struck. He opened his eyes slowly, a bright fire flashing behind them, and a quickly darkening look fell across his face.

"Oh no you don't. I'm not telling you about _her_. They warned me about that one. They said you have the white-haired pest with you now, and that she would tell you about our newest addition to the family. They told me watch out for the White One's tricks, because she would have you search for the answers of my newest pet. You can't trick me!" He shouted triumphantly. "I saw through your pathetic trick! The White One will never know the answer to her problem, and we shall keep the Aurora in our hands _forever_." He uncrossed his legs, still floating, and his body began to glow with an angry orange light.

"I think," he said slowly, all traces of playfulness gone, "that it's time you see what my projection can _truly_ do. Controlling the weather was simply a game. It's true purpose..." he smiled coldly, "is to act as a weapon." He turned towards the orange funnel and shouted, "Fourth phase projection! Your enemies are at hand! Destroy them and scatter their bones to the wind!" With a final mocking bow Yukino Tora faded from sight, once again humming a song to himself.

The senshi had seconds to prepare before they were hit with the first attack. The funnel flashed green and yellow, and tidal wave of red dust shot towards them.

"Get down!" Uranus Knight threw himself face first into the ground, covering his head with his hands. The two girls were quick to follow. Over the blinding dust and the roar of the wind, Sailormercury shrieked, "What are we going to do? There's no way we can even get close enough to attack it when the wind is so rough!"

Neptune turned her head towards the other girl, shielding her face with one arm, and shouted, "We wait it out! That thing can't blast us forever, right? This is sort of annoying, but not really dangerous!" The projection was apparently coming to the same conclusion. With an angry howl, the wind picked up. Mercury and Neptune whimpered as their exposed legs and arms were pelted with dirt and rocks, leaving tears and scratches in their exposed skin. Uranus, completely encased in armor save his head, was faring much better.

"Come over here!" He yelled, "I'll help shield you from the wind!"

However, even as he spoke, the gale was dying down. In an eerie circle of silence, walls of dust and rocks still whirled around them at top speed. The senshi got to their feet and looked at their new prison. Mercury looked around hesitantly, and Neptune softly said, "This is the eye of a storm, isn't it?"

Her brother nodded and replied, "It would seem so. I wonder why we're being kept here?" He turned his head in time to see Sailorneptune shout, "Iridescent Tide!" and throw a ball of cerulean towards the dust. It crashed into the wall with no affect, and she shrugged, saying, "It was worth a shot. I guess we really are stuck."

"Ouch!" Mercury's cry was muffled as her face hit the ground. A glowing orange creature that looked like a person made out of mud, had tackled her from behind, and was centering its fists over the back of her head.

"Mercury!" Drawing the Heaven Sword as he ran towards her, Uranus slashed at the creature, which hissed and sprang into the air.

"Ah!" He turned in time to see Sailorneptune grabbed on either side from behind, and hesitated. Seeing her brother's indecision, Neptune flashed him a cocky smile and called, "Don't worry. I've got these two under control. Help Sailormercury!" He nodded and turned back around in time to be punched in the face. Staggering back, he found himself face to face with four more creatures.

"Projections of a projection," he murmured as he loped the head off of one, "that guy was right; this _is _a powerful creature!"

"Shimmering Frostbite!" Mercury gasped as she realized that the cold was having no affect on the three creatures that were approaching her, but continued with the attack.

_If I keep going for a long enough time, they'll eventually be blocks of ice! Then it won't matter if their injured or not; they'll be contained._

However, the mini-projections obviously had no intention of waiting to be frozen. They ran directly through the ice and into the senshi of water. She cried out as a knee hit her chin, and her attack faltered and failed.

Sailorneptune laughed softly as one of the projections twisted her arm slightly, and she called, "You'll have to do better than that to stop me!" With a quick jerk, she pulled her arms free, dropped to ground, and knocked them both over with a quick leg sweep. She then drove the spiked heel of one of her shoes in the forehead of one. When it shrieked and faded from sight, she repeated the process with the other one. With a smug little chuckle, she dusted her hands off and said, "Now what can I find to do with the others?" Before she could move, a brilliant white flash lit up the sky. Shielding her eyes, she shouted to Mercury and Uranus, "What's going on? Are you guys okay?"

0

Setsuna suddenly sat straight up, and Kazaki jumped with surprise.

"Setsuna-san?" She whispered, "Are you awake?" The woman gasped, jerked, and fell back to the bed, her body twitching spasmodically. Kazaki, her hands fluttering helplessly, murmured, "What do I do? What do I do?"

Setsuna gasped again and cried out, clawing at the air above her. Finally, in an act of desperation, Kazaki leaned over and grabbed her wrists. Red energy flared around her hands, and she felt herself being pulled into the sightless ruby eyes below her.


	11. Chapter 10

**Memories Returning, I'll Find My Soul With You**

"What _was_ that?" Sailorneptune murmured as she stared into the sky. She turned her head in time to see Sailormercury about to be impaled. Behind Uranus Knight, more of the projections were pouring from the wall of wind and rocks, and she could hear more of them trying to sneak up on her as well.

"Uranus," she called across the clearing, "Watch out for Mercury!" He turned slightly so he could see the senshi of water, but was too busy fighting with four new projections to move towards her.

"I _can't_!"

Neptune started forward, only to be tripped as a new projection wrapped its grainy hand around her ankle. Mercury shrieked and writhed under her captive. Her attack was ineffective, and she wasn't strong enough physically to break free. The blade shot down, and only by twisting her body did she manage to be stabbed in the arm rather than the chest. She cried out again, but there was nothing she could do to free herself.

"Uranus! We _have_ to! She'll die!" Her brother was still struggling against the projections, his own battle now six to one. Neptune whirled and found five projections standing directly behind her.

_I have no _time_ for this!_ Sailormercury screamed again, but Neptune didn't look. Suddenly, as if on some unspoken signal, both Uranus and Neptune's minds cleared.

With a new resolve, Umina twisted her leg again, kicked her attacker in the face and leveled her palm in the direction of the others.

"Iridescent Tide!" At the same time, Uranus swung the Heaven Sword in a wide arc and yelled, "Heaven Strike!" Golden light exploded from the sword, and the projections were destroyed. Both sprinted towards the fallen Sailormercury, who was silent and covered with blood. Uranus' eyes widened and he pushed himself harder.

_The Princess will never forgive us if we've let her best friend be killed! Mizumi-san...please don't be dead. We all need you._

"Iridescent Tide!"

Instinctively, he raised his sword into the air. Sailorneptune's attack hit the shining blade dead center and it began to glow aqua. Without looking, he knew his twin was running towards them.

Uranus shouted as a combination of golden and aqua energy tore through the projection still sitting on top of Sailormercury, and the thing exploded with a muffled bang. Uranus could hear the projections beginning to swarm behind them, so instead of slowing, he sheathed the Heaven Sword and scooped Sailormercury up into his arms. She moaned weakly, but didn't open her eyes.

"We've got to hurry and get her to a doctor," Sailorneptune said from next to him, "She's losing too much blood."

_They were running, through a corridor, with only Sailormoon beside them. The others...had __fallen..._

Uranus blinked his eyes and said, "What was that?" Neptune shook her head.

"I don't know."

_The blade began to glow with a golden light, and a matching golden aura sprang up around his body. The blade went from a single edge to double, and grew thicker and longer. The guard became the spreading wings of an eagle, and the hilt itself turned gold. He hefted it slightly and nodded with satisfaction._

"The Heaven Sword," Sailorneptune breathed, "that's when you formed the Heaven Sword." Uranus nodded, but didn't reply. They were nearing the wall, and still had no way to get over it.

_ Sailormercury vanished into the floor with a scream, and moments later Guardian Saturn was pulled after her, clutching the Silence Glaive._

Neither spoke this time. They both knew who Aikin's disappearance had been important to. Sailorneptune suddenly turned and swung her leg into the air. A projection who had been about to stab her brother in the back imploded.

_As though they were working with some unspoken single, the twins moved at the same time. Neptune lunged at SailorMoon, shoving her and falling to the ground. Uranus caught her in his arms and sprang into the air seconds before his sister was consumed by the shadows that had been laying in wait for SailorMoon. His face expressionless, he seemed to glide easily through the air despite the heavy armor he wore. SailorMoon bit her lip and looked away. She knew how much the twins meant to each other, and what kind of sacrifice it must have been to give Neptune up without a fight. As if reading her mind, he smiled down at her, a smile that, for once, reached all the way to his eyes. Shadows wrapped around his ankles, dragging them both to the ground. He landed heavily on his knees, but lifted his arms higher, struggling to keep SailorMoon from the floor. _

_ "I'm sorry, Princess." He tossed her away from himself with all his strength, and as she rolled across the floor, he vanished from sight into the ground._

Uranus' eyes widened as he suddenly recognized that look on his sister's face as one from the past.

"No!" He said firmly, "I won't let you do the same thing again!"

Neptune, her eyes clear, replied, "This is the only way. They're going to overtake us. Your sword will cut through the barrier. Take Mercury to the outside. I think she'll be safe there." She looked down at the motionless senshi of water in his arms and hissed, "She needs _help_, Tensei! Just _look_ at her!"

Mercury had grown even paler after being rescued, and her breath was coming in ragged gasps. Uranus' face darkened. It was clear to both twins if she didn't get medical attention soon, the blue-haired senshi would still probably die. After an internal struggle, Uranus whispered, "I'll come back for you. I promise." Neptune smiled and touched his arm.

"I know." With a final impish grin, she turned and stopped running.

"Hang on, Sailormercury, Mizumi-san. Don't let her staying here be for nothing."

A cold feeling had settled in his chest, and Uranus remembered the same feeling from his time at the Labyrinth. It had been Neptune who had sacrificed herself then too.

"How many times will she save me?" He murmured to himself and then stopped short. They had reached the barrier. Setting Sailormercury carefully down on the ground, he unsheathed the Heaven Sword and took a moment to look at his weapon. Pressing the flat of the shining blade to his forehead, he whispered, "Please, _please_ let this work. If you truly are a projection of my soul, you already know that this is what I want with all my heart."

The blade began to glow with a golden light, and despite the fact that Uranus couldn't see it, the symbol of his planet had appeared on his forehead. Plunging it into the barrier, every muscle tensed, Uranus forced the blade downward. The energy causing the wind and rocks to constantly spin was powerful, and he gasped as the wall fought back. There was an explosion of aqua light behind him, but refusing to be distracted, he pushed the blade down another inch. He could see now that the three of them had actually been slowly dragged towards the main body of Tora's projection. The twisting orange funnel swept to the sky, still throwing up strange energy colors into the air, and was only a few feet away. Directly above them a new storm was brewing, and the clouds occasionally lit up with angry yellow lightning. The blade pulled down another inch.

_This is taking too long_, he realized with a shock, _we're not going to make it._

He glanced down. Sailormercury was still and pale; she had stopped even the occasional moans she had managed before. Somewhere, although it seemed to be coming from miles away, he heard Sailorneptune cry out.

_Please...someone...help us._

_Apparently sensing the difference within himself, Uranus shouted, "Uranus Shattered Power!" His sister, trusting him, shouted, "Neptune Shattered Power!"_

_ "Pluto Shattered Power!" _

_ Not to be left behind, Venus shouted, "Venus Shattered Power!"_

_ "Saturn Shattered Power!" She took a shuddering breath and collapsed, her energy nevertheless joining the attack._

_ "Jupiter Shattered Power!"_

_ "Mars Shattered Power!"_

_ "Mercury Shattered Power!"_

_ "Give us back our world!" _

_ Neo-Princess Serenity shouted as a massive outpouring of energy flowed through her and directly at the Divine One. From the look on its face, it was obvious it knew there was no escape, and laughed maniacally as it vaporized. Her eyes turned glassy, and Neo-Princess Serenity collapsed, her dress returning to a sailorfuku._

"Serenity-sama..."

0

"Tensei?" Usa-chan was on her feet, staring off into the distance. Neo-Queen Serenity looked at her granddaughter with concern and said, "Usa-chan? What's the matter?"

Her blue eyes unfocused and looking far outside the throne room, the black-haired girl didn't even hear the question. Her mouth moved slightly, and tears filled her eyes.

"I can't!" She cried out, "I'm sorry!"

The queen realized that she too could sense the life of not one, but three senshi fading.

"You've got to remember!" The distraught princess told the wall she was speaking to.

0

_"It's the only way. Tensei, Umina, you've _got_ to remember what happened. Everything. It will help to release the power within you. _Please_! You've got to trust me!"_

Uranus Knight clenched the hilt of the Heaven Sword tighter as he felt his princess' presence fade.

_The Gates of Time. Haruka staring at him with complete trust and pride. Clasping hands...the power is leaving...a mauve glow...everything is fading...I can't remember..._

"I _do_ remember. Everything." Pushing with all his weight, the Heaven Sword parted the barrier. An aqua explosion behind him indicated that Neptune had experienced something similar. As she slid up next to him, slightly worse for wear, he smirked at her and said, "Your forehead is glowing."

She punched him lightly in the arm and fondly said, "Idiot. So is yours."

The two still glowed with their respective colors, and Uranus nodded towards the clear path to the true projection.

"Shall we?"

"But of course."

Neptune extended her index and middle finger together on both hands and circled them around each other directly in front of her chest. Two separate, cerulean, streams of water trailed at the ends of her fingers, and they slowly combined together into one ring of water circling in the air around her hands. She slowed down gradually, and pulled her hands farther apart. The ring formed into a ball of vivid blue water, which she pushed away from herself with both hands, fingers splayed.

The Heaven Sword burst with a blinding light that ran all the way up Uranus' arms, fanning his dark hair with energy. The massive blast of golden light flared directly from the sword as he shouted, "Heaven Strike!"

"Iridescent Tide!"

The attacks were twice as large as they normally were, and they torn through the air spiraling together, a massive ball of whirling gold and aqua. The funnel swept the attack up into its core, and a low grumbling suddenly filled the air. The symbols on their foreheads fading, the twins looked at each other and dove for the unconscious Sailormercury.

As they shielded her prone form, the funnel began to twist more violently. Streaks of aqua and gold were appearing it its yellow exterior, and the rotation was becoming erratic. A roar filled the air, and the twins moved closer to Mercury. The rock barrier shattered, spraying them with rubble, and a choking dust filled the air.

"We've got to keep her safe!" Neptune shouted, "No matter what!" There was a sparkle around her, and all the green in her fuku suddenly sparkled with silver glitter.

Uranus nodded and held his hand out. A dark blue shield appeared with a shimmer, and along with the part of his body that was already covering Mercury, he laid the shield on top of her. The roaring continued, and the three were pelted with dust, gravel, and rocks.

Finally, after what seemed like forever, the air began to clear. With one final growl of rage, the funnel swept up into the sky and dissipated. Amazingly, Sailorneptune's exposed skin had remained fairly unharmed even in the dust storm, and despite that she was dirty from head to foot, there were only a few small scratches and cuts on her arms and legs. Her cheek was sporting a darkening bruise, but when she touched it gingerly with a gloved hand she smiled and said, "A souvenir."

Uranus examined his new shield for a moment and then let it dissolve back into silver glitter. He smirked at her and said, "At least I didn't get a sparkly skirt." The two laughed, but the mood turned serious when they looked at Sailormercury.

"We have to get her back to the Palace. King Endymion will be able to help her."

"Right."

0

Kazaki felt herself being drawn into the void that was Setsuna's mind, and she murmured, "Is this what it's like for her now? It's so _empty_."

_ I've got to help her. She needs my help__._

She looked down and was mildly surprised to find herself floating, completely nude and glowing red. Something in her mind whispered, _There is no need for secrets here. There is only the truth and those who attempt to hide from it._

"Those who hide from it..."

From within her mind, Kazaki heard her mother say, _Her greatest fear is losing her power...she is running from the truth._

_I have to look within myself...What do I fear?_ Kazaki found herself floating in a sea of uncertain voices, all struggling to be heard, and at the same time, trying to silence themselves.

_What if I make the wrong choices as the leader?_

_What if I'm betrayed again? My heart will break forever..._

_What if Aikin abandons me? Who will I have left? Mother isn't like him._

_What if I can't protect them? They seem so helpless. If I fail them..._

_What if I can't live up to her expectations? I want so much to be like Haruka..._

_What if she chooses him? Does that mean that Aikin is better than me?_

_What if...what if she doesn't love me? What if I'm not worth loving?_

There was a bright flash of light, and Kazaki caught sight of crouched figure glowing mauve. She drifted downward until her feet touched an invisible walkway, and took a small step towards the figure. Knees pulled up to her chest, arms wrapped around her knees, head resting in the cradle of her arms, Setsuna stared off into the distance.

"Setsuna-san?" Kazaki took a tentative step forward, and the other woman's eyes cleared. She stared at the girl with stark terror written on her face and shrieked, "Stay away from me! You won't take anything else from me! Not after him. No one else will take anything from me.._._"

Kazaki, shocked, backed up quickly and wrung her hands.

_What do I do?_

The former senshi of time was staring off into the distance at something only she could see and was rocking herself gently. She blinked slowly and mumbled, "No one, no one, no one. Never again." She looked at Kazaki without really seeing her and repeated, "_Never_ again." The girl nodded weakly, unsure of how to respond.

_She can't hear me. I don't think she even knows who I am!_

_Look within your heart for the truth._ Her mother's voice once again guiding her, Kazaki fell to her knees and closed her eyes. Setsuna was singing a song of gibberish to herself and running her hands through her hair rapidly. The dark-haired girl took a deep breath and forced herself to ignore Setsuna.

_I have to expand beyond myself. Beyond everything._

She felt the darkness pulling away.

_I can _see_ myself._ Glowing with red energy again a backdrop of blackness, she and Setsuna were the only things visible.

_An out-of-body experience. How can she have made herself so _small_?_

The essence of everything that Setsuna ever was or ever had been lay curled on the floor in a weakly flickering ball of mauve energy, rocking and talking to herself. Looking over the blackness and realizing the vast emptiness of it, Kazaki knew the former senshi of time had the potential to once again be much more.

_I've to got wake her up._ Although she didn't technically have hands at the moment, she got the distinct impression that she was wringing them again. _What made her react suddenly? What was it?_

Far below, she could hear the other woman growing louder. Kazaki drifted back towards her body, reentered it, and opened her eyes. Setsuna had stopped rocking and looked like she was staring directly at someone standing behind Kazaki. The priestess in training turned to peer behind herself uneasily, but only the blackness was there.

"Waiting..." Setsuna said softly, calmly. "I've been waiting all this time for you to come back for me." Her eyes were still glassy and unfocused, but whatever she was seeing in her inner mind was very real to her. "All this time..." She slowly sat forward and reached a hand out, her face displaying her intense concentration. "Come back to me...come back and be one."

Kazaki hesitated; the invitation obviously wasn't directed to her, but if she took the proffered hand...

_She might remember that she was a life outside of this darkness._ With a whispered prayer, she leaned forward and clasped Setsuna's waiting reach. The woman screamed as if she had been burned. Kazaki toppled backwards, and Setsuna cradled herself protectively.

0

Rei glanced into Setsuna's room, hoping that the sudden surge of energy in the sky hadn't disturbed her incapacitated friend. With a gasp, she covered mouth with one hand and threw the door completely open.

"Kazaki-chan!" Her daughter was clutching Setsuna's gaunt hand like a lifeline, her face as pale as chalk. Next to Setsuna's already faded coloring, the two looked like they were dead. Kazaki's body had collapsed, her head resting on Setsuna's chest. Her eyes held the same blank stare that Setsuna's had and she was barely breathing. Afraid to break the bond her daughter and Setsuna might still share, Rei gasped again and ran from the room. "Usagi! USAGI!"

0

"It's gone," Setsuna said softly, stroking the hand that Kazaki had touched. "I lost it. It was coming, coming this way, but now..." She shook her head sadly. "It's gone. It's lost. It's...searching...but for the wrong thing. The wrong person. It doesn't understand. It doesn't...remember..."

_Remember._ Usa's voice broke the hypnotic trance Setsuna's maddening words were putting her in, and Kazaki shook her head to clear it.

_Remember us. Remember _everything.

"Remember..." She held her hands out in front of herself. Delicate and fine-boned, they were still glowing red with her aura. However, the once brilliant shine of her soul had dimmed to a flicker, and with a shock she realized, _She's sucking me in. Drawing me into her loneliness, into the void her lost self has created. I'm dying._

_Remember us!_ Usa demanded.

Kazaki shook her head and cradled herself in a similar pose of Setsuna.

"I can't!" She cried, "I don't know how!"

0

"Her temperature is dropping," Ami murmured, "I don't know how much longer she's going to last."

"Wake her up! Wake her up _now_!" Rei was hysterical, tears pouring down her face, but Neo-Queen Serenity grabbed her oldest and closest friend and firmly said, "We _can't_. You know that. It was her decision, Rei-chan! If we try to bring her back it will destroy them both!"

"She's _dying_! Usagi, _please_; she's my _daughter_! I can't let her die."

"She is a senshi," Haruka said softly, "And this was her choice."

Neo-Queen Serenity glanced over at her granddaughter who was once again staring off into space with blank eyes. After she announced that Tensei and Umina were returning with Mizumi-chan, who was hurt, she had turned and walked from the room. Gliding down the halls as if she was sleepwalking, the queen and princess had encountered the hysterical Rei, who was on her way to find them. Drifting past Rei and into the open bedroom, Usa had stood at the foot of the bed and stopped moving completely.

"Kazaki-chan," Usa suddenly said sharply, silencing what Rei had been about to say, "You _do_ know how! You've _always_ known how! Your power is within _you_. You've just got to look for it."

0

Kazaki watched as her aura faded further and whispered, "I don't know how to begin. Usa-chan...help me."

She could her the heartbreaking sorrow in her leader's voice as she responded, _I can't_._ You have to do it by yourself. No one can help you but yourself._

"Then...I'll die." Kazaki slid to the ground, her aura flickering in and out.

_Kazaki-chan...you must..._ Her voice faded, and Kazaki knew it would be the last time she heard her leader speak.

"I'm sorry...Serenity..." her voice was no more than a whisper, and she no longer had the strength to lift her head. "I just..."

Her eyes drifted shut, but Setsuna's voice, filled with terror, suddenly shrieked, "The darkness! The darkness is coming for me!" She screamed, her voice filled with terror, and covered her face with her hands. "The darkness...please...don't let it eat me! I'll be destroyed! It's _coming_!" She screamed again, and her body shook his wracking sobs. "Serenity-sama! Help me!"

_She can't help you,_ Kazaki thought dully, _And she can't help me either._

Setsuna screamed again and trying to bury herself within her hair. Kazaki felt a tear slide down her cheek. Suddenly, before she knew what was happening, she felt herself embrace the sobbing woman and murmur, "It's all right. Everything will be all right. I'll never let the darkness take your soul. _Never_."

Slowly, the former senshi of time stopped crying, and she peered at Kazaki with eyes that could finally see. "_You_." She murmured, her voice tinged with awe, "You look like an angel."

Kazaki smiled sweetly, feeling her aura beginning to brighten, and said, "I've come to take you back. There are so many people waiting for you."

Setsuna shook her head. "There _is_ no way back. I searched...for the longest time..." She trailed off and touched Kazaki's forehead with delicate fingers. "Your forehead is glowing. That light..." She closed her eyes sighed gently, "That light warms my soul." Looking seriously at Kazaki she added with wonder, "You really _do_ know the way, don't you?"

Without knowing _how_ she knew, Kazaki nodded gently and smiled shyly.

"There are people waiting for us _both_," Setsuna said softly, "I think it's time to go home."

With a brilliant flash of light, Kazaki felt herself being drawn upward, still holding tightly to Setsuna.

0

"Kazaki-chan? Kazaki-chan?" With a sob, Rei threw herself into her daughter. The girl, startled by her mother's sudden actions, jumped with surprise. She looked around at the gathering of people; all of the senshi, past and present, save for Mercury, Neptune, and Uranus, were staring at her.

Neo-Queen Serenity was crying and being held from behind by King Endymion, Haruka had her arm around Michiru, Nakomi was bawling, Moriko's eyes were shining, Minako smiled with encouragement, and Ami sighed with relief.

Usa smiled knowingly, tears shining in her eyes nevertheless, Ame looked serious but concerned, and Hotaru nodded with satisfaction, a look of pride on her face. Rei had buried herself in her daughter's arms and was sobbing wildly.

Slowly, Kazaki turned her head. Still holding her hand, and already regaining some color, Setsuna smiled weakly and said, "It's good to be back, huh, Kazaki-chan?" The dark-haired girl smiled, and hugging Rei with one arm, threw the other around Setsuna.

"Yes, it definitely is."


	12. Chapter 11

**Sailor Team Reunion, Entrance of the Cosmos Quartet**

"Will she be okay?" Tensei and Umina paced and hovered anxiously as King Endymion bent over the still form of Mizumi, both he and the pale girl glowing with golden energy.

"Usa-chan," Umina started, "We're so _sorry_. We never meant for this to happen! By the time we could get close enough to help her, she was already like this."

Tensei added, "This is more my fault than Umina's. I was closer to Mizumi when she was attacked."

Umina shook her head and replied, "We're _both_ to blame. I never should have moved so far away in the first place."

Usa held up a calming hand and softly said, "I don't blame _either_ of you. Mizumi-chan is the one who volunteered to go and check the energy disturbance. As senshi, sometimes we're expected to get hurt." Her face downcast, Usa murmured, "If anyone is to blame, it should be _me_. I'm the one who let you go with such a small force. If I was a more responsible leader, I would have made you take Saturn or Aurora or Jupiter with you as well. They're all very powerful, and would have made things easier for you."

Umina and Tensei both protested at once.

"What about Crystal Tokyo?"

"We could barely afford to send the three of us!"

"Usa-chan," Ame said quietly, "the city is under attack. Sending away more of its defenders would not have been a wise choice. The people are looking to you and your grandmother and grandfather to protect them. They see you and your senshi as the only thing standing between them and destruction."

"Ame!" Usa cried with pain, "Even as they look to me with trust, we're _lying_ to them! They don't know the _half_ of what we face! The moon is nearly full! Only a quarter left to go and we don't know _anything_ about the where the Blue Moon Caravan is hiding! We have no idea where their nest might be. What if we can't find it at all? What will happen then?"

Ame, with her usual lack of tact, bluntly said, "We will have failed and destroyed life in this reality forever."

Usa moaned and buried her head in her hands. Giving Ame a dirty look, Moriko put her arm around Usa's shoulder and said, "Don't worry, Usa-san! I'm sure we'll find them in time!"

Nakomi, trying to keep everyone cheerful, added, "Yeah! And Tora-what's-his-name told Mercury, Neptune, and Uranus that the dancer and musician aren't allowed to come here anymore! So the only ones we have to worry about are the third and fourth phase attackers.

"Third phase..." Hotaru murmured to herself, "Who is it?"

"I think Mizumi-chan is waking up," Neo-Queen Serenity said softly.

Kazaki, who was still weak from her exchange with Setsuna, was sitting in an overstuffed armchair in the corner. Her eyes suddenly snapped opened, and she screamed, "_What's that energy?"_

Seconds later, they were all thrown to the floor as a massive shock wave hit the palace. Usa crawled to where Kazaki was sitting and said, "Kazaki-chan? What was that?"

The senshi of fire shook her head and murmured, "I don't know. Something big. It hit the _palace_."

0

Outside the palace walls, Eclipse sent, _Usa-chan. You and your senshi are needed. I think we may have an out-of-system invader here__._ The silver falcon's keen eyes, although they could easily see through the approaching twilight, couldn't pierce through the thick veil of dust that had been thrown into the air upon the impact of the energy, but he continued to circle, waiting for the first signs of movement.

0

"Kazaki-chan, I want you to stay here. You're too weak to fight after what happened to Setsuna-san."

Kazaki shook her head in protest, but fell back weakly when she tried to stand. "Be careful," she murmured, "Something's not right about all of this."

Usa nodded, taking the advice to heart, and turned to the remaining senshi in the room.

"Everyone, transform!"

0

"God! That was awful!" Inari shook the dirt from her hair and clothes and added, "Were you asleep when you tried to land us, Chiron? I thought we were going to die on the way down!"

Mura groaned and announced, "I think I'm sitting in a rose bush!" There was a rustle. "Ouch! Yes, definitely a rose bush."

Zelia stood, dusted herself off and tried to peer through the cloud of dirt they had created. "Is this the right spot?"

Chiron nodded and rubbed her temple with one hand. "Yes. I thought I heard...a _voice_. It was...calling to us."

Mura sneezed as she got to her feet and helpfully said, "Maybe you were just tired after trip. We _have_ been moving nonstop for three days."

"Maybe..." Chiron murmured, "That's probably what it was." Suddenly, a new voice interrupted them.

"Stop right there! How dare you invade my private garden! For love and justice I am the beautiful sailorsuited soldier Sailormoon! In the name of the moon, I'll punish you!"

Inari smiled and said, "Oh _wonderful_! They have senshi and everything!"

The dust cloud cleared, and Sailormoon blanched. Sailorvenus peered at them curiously for a moment before exclaiming, "You're sailor senshi too! Just like us!" She took a welcoming step forward, but Guardian Pluto grabbed her shoulder and shook his head. Mildly confused, but obedient, she didn't try to come any closer.

"They have fuku like Aurora's." Uranus said softly.

It was true. In the same cut off style, each of the four new senshi had bare stomachs. The girl with thick, straw-blond hair half pulled back in a wide ponytail and vivid emerald eyes stepped forward.

"I am Sailorchiron, the senshi of balance." Her fuku was black with dark purple trim. She turned her head slightly and pointed to the girl with short, pale pink hair and light blue eyes. She had a friendly face, and was extracting pieces of a decimated rose bush from her fuku. When she noticed Chiron looking at her, she stopped what she was doing and said, "I'm Sailormura, the senshi of protection." Her fuku was black with pink trim.

Chiron next looked to a tall girl with dark mahogany eyes and matching hair that fell to her shoulders. The girl nodded her head slightly and said, "I am Sailorinari, the senshi of support." Her fuku was black with red trim.

The final girl stepped forward without waiting for Chiron's acknowledgment. She had very dark black, thick hair with dark blue highlights that fell just past her shoulder blades and amber eyes. A thick strand of hair was held on either side of her face with a beaded clip by her chin. She had a small bun held by a beaded yellow circlet on the top of her head.

"I am Sailorzelia, the senshi of fear." Her fuku was black with yellow trim.

Chiron spoke again. "We are what forms the Balance of the Universe, the Cosmos Quartet."

Sailormoon stepped forward hesitantly and said, "But why are you _here_? I mean, don't take offense, but it's not everyday that we have four senshi drop from the sky and into our garden."

_Last time one appeared it was over my throne._ Sailormoon stifled the thought and forced herself to stay serious. Now that she knew this wasn't a new attack by the Blue Moon Caravan, she felt immensely better.

"We've come here to Balance you." Sailormura said cheerfully, smiling at them as she did so.

Sailormoon shook her head without understanding, and Zelia spoke up, her cold voice sending chills down their spines. "Let me put that in a way you might understand. Give us the ginzuishou now, and no one gets hurt later."

"What_?_" Sailormoon looked at them incredulously and replied, "You don't actually expect me to give it to you, do you?"

Inari shrugged lazily and answered, "Sometimes they do. Our reputation precedes us in many of the other systems. There's more chaos farther from here. Actually," she looked around, "I don't believe we've been to Earth before. You should be proud of yourselves. I don't think we've even been near your planet before."

"No," Mura said, "We were here once before. When Sailorgalaxia, er, _Chaos_, was stealing all those star seeds, we stayed on Earth for a bit." She smiled at the Crystal Tokyo senshi and added, "We check up on the ginzuishou every once in awhile. It's one of the most dangerous and strongest power sources in the Universe, you know."

Uranus, his voice more than a little hostile, said, "We'll just continue to hang on to it. Thanks for the visit, but I think you should be going now." On either side of him, Jupiter and Neptune nodded their agreement.

"Now wait," Sailormoon interjected, "I'm sure we can reach some sort of agreement. First of all, _why_ exactly do you have to take the ginzuishou?"

Sailorchiron shook her head. "I'm not going to _take_ it. I'm going to _balance_ it."

Pluto shook his head. "What does that mean exactly?"

Chiron held her hand out and beautiful sword with a black hilt and a white crystal blade appeared in her hand. The senshi moved into defensive positions, but she waved a hand at them and said, "Calm down." Brandishing the sword proudly, she continued with, "_This_ is the Balance Star. It monitors all of the energy levels in the entire Universe." She sighed and said, "Let me start this another way. Everything within the Universe has its own delicate web of power that dictates how strong something is. Many, many webs cross over each other, and for some reason or another, some things become stronger than others. Some start out that way, others become more powerful as time passes." She shrugged and lowered the sword so the blade caught the moonlight. "My sword monitors _all_ of the webs of power in existence."

"In this reality," Sailoraurora interrupted.

Sailorchiron looked surprised, but nodded her head in agreement and responded, "Yes, that's right. Only in this reality."

Sailorinari picked up the story where her leader had left off. "Anyway, sometimes webs grow so powerful that they are vastly different from all the other webs of power around them. God-like almost. They continue to gain energy at a rapid rate, and soon this begins to affect everything around them. When this happens," she jerked her head at the Balance Sword, "the sword lets Chiron know, and she tells us."

Sailormura jumped in. "When this happens, we go to the web in question. When we get there, we find the source of the power and we Balance it."

Zelia, her eyes hard, said, "Balancing is a method of energy distribution that can be accomplished only with the Balance Star. Sailorchiron places the sword on the thing that must be Balanced and the sword redistributes the energy to the Universe. This restores the balance of energy to the surrounding webs."

Sailorvenus, a disturbed look on her face, quietly asked, "What if the energy source was a _person_?"

Sailorzelia shrugged and replied, "It's happened before. The person must be Balanced. Life or no life, they are a danger to those around them."

Sailormura hastened to add, "It doesn't really hurt them for very long. I mean, usually the Balancing is pretty quick. Once their energy is gone, they can't feel anything and they just fade away." She smiled as if that solved every and bobbed her head.

Sailormoon finally spoke up again. "So you want us to give you our greatest tool of defense while we're in the middle of our own war so you can take the energy and spread it all over the place?" Jupiter cocked an eyebrow and Chiron nodded.

"Never."

The Quartet's friendly expressions faded, and even Sailormura looked serious. Chiron frowned and said, "I'm going to ask you once more, because I don't think you understand the consequences if you disobey my wishes. Give me the ginzuishou, or we'll destroy you and your team and we'll take it."

Sailorneptune smirked and taunted, "There are ten of us and four of you. Are you really so overconfident that you still think you can win?"

Mura was tallying senshi on her fingers, and finally said, "Actually, there are only seven of you." She looked questioningly at Sailormoon, "I'm assuming that girl _can_ count and you're just missing three?"

Sailormoon, her lips pressed tightly together, nodded shortly. There was silence as the two teams observed each other. There was obviously already some sort of rivalry between Jupiter, Neptune, and Inari. The three kept mouthing things at each other, and snarling, and Neptune was staring across the short distance that separated them with narrowed eyes.

Sailorchiron was watching Sailormoon carefully, following her every movement with her eyes, other than that, her body was completely still. Sailorvenus and Guardian Pluto looked hesitant and confused. It was clear that both of them thought fighting the strangers was not necessarily the answer, but at the same time they would never disobey Sailormoon.

Uranus Knight was standing as still as Chiron, only his eyes at work. He seemed to be memorizing every detail about them he could. Sailormura, although her face still looked sweet and innocent, was watching the senshi with cold eyes. Sailorzelia was even more frightening. There was no doubt in the minds of the Crystal Tokyo senshi that she would kill all of them to get to the ginzuishou if she had to.

Sailormoon hovered indecisively. _Eclipse? What do you think I should do?_

_I don't know. I don't think their leader is willing to compromise, and Sailorzelia is watching all of you like potential prey. Be very careful._

_That's not much help..._ When the falcon didn't reply, Sailormoon took a deep breath and clearly said, "I'd think to confer with my senshi in private before making a decision."

Sailorchiron nodded, but the Quartet didn't move. Sailormoon nodded and stammered, "All- all right then." She turned her back to the newcomers and the senshi formed a ring around her.

"What do the rest of you think about this?"

"We can't give it to them," Pluto said flatly, "Without it, your powers will drop to almost nothing, and we'll have no final weapon against the Caravan."

"If something goes wrong in the end," Neptune picked up, "And we can't beat the Caravan without it, our only hope of saving everything may be to release its power. If we don't have it..."

"Then everything goes," Venus finished, "_even_ the Quartet."

"However," Uranus said quietly, "They _want_ to fight. At least, Inari and Zelia do. Inari's just aggressive," Jupiter scowled, "but Zelia..." he shook his head, "there's something _wrong_ about her. She...she looks like..." He shook his head again. "I don't _know_."

"There is something about her power..." Aurora said softly, "She isn't like the others."

"We should just outright refuse them!" Jupiter exclaimed, "I mean, what kind of compromise could we reach with the ginzuishou? You only use the power to protect the city as it is. There's no abuse going on!"

Sailorneptune, apparently agreeing with this sentiment, nodded quickly and added, "We can take them! We've powered up now,"

Pluto choked slightly and the senshi of the ocean caught her breath. Her head slightly bowed, she murmured, "Sorry, Pluto, I didn't mean to..." She trailed off. The only one of the senshi who hadn't regained his memory, Guardian Pluto found himself on the outside of an exclusive circle the others now shared. An unspoken bond had formed between them as they each remembered what they had gone through together, a bond that he wasn't a part of. He shook his head slightly.

"Forget it. It's not like this is something any of you can change for me."

Sailorvenus, her expression downcast, forced a cheerful smile on her face and chirped, "Don't worry! I'm sure you'll remember! After all," she smiled slyly, "If Neptune and Uranus can manage, _anyone_ can do it."

Sailorneptune's face darkened, and Uranus narrowed his eyes. Sailormoon, sensing a rift in her formally unified team, said, "This is not the time or place for an argument. I've made my decision."

_What are you going to do?_ Wheeling high above, Eclipse kept tabs on the every movement of the Quartet.

_I'm going to refuse. I won't give up the ginzuishou. Not when we need it the most._ She took a deep breath and found her inner strength again. _Not now and not ever. No one invades Crystal Tokyo while the senshi live._

"We have considered your demand," Sailormoon said clearly, once more turning to face the Cosmos Quartet. Her clear blue eyes met Chiron's emerald ones without hesitation, and for the first time the leader of the invaders recognized the power of her adversary for what it truly was.

_She isn't the untried child that I had her figured for._ Chiron nodded her head slightly and replied, "And your decision?"

Sailormoon paused for less than an instant.

"No."

"Very well. As is the custom of my group, we will leave you at this time. However, be forewarned that when our two groups next meet, we will not be so friendly." With a toss of her head, she turned and strode to where her team was waiting. The Balance Star flashed once and the when the light cleared the Quartet was gone.

"This is bad." Sailoraurora was shaking her head and holding tightly to the Eternal Star.

"Why? What is it?" Sailorvenus put a hand on the older senshi's shoulder. The white-haired girl replied, "You realize that we've just made another enemy, don't you? Right in the midst of fighting the Caravan, we're now going to have to contend with the Quartet as well."

Sailorjupiter, a cross look on her face, snapped, "I didn't here you spouting all these prophecies of doom when Sailormoon _asked_ us for our opinions. If you're so wise to the way of the world, _why_ didn't you choose to enlighten us when you had the chance?"

Aurora, her face serious as always but otherwise showing no emotion, replied, "I knew you wouldn't listen to me." She shook her head heavily and added, "I don't think there is anything we can do to stop this. The warrior of the prophecy is something different than what we have. There is no such purity existing anymore."

"Neo-Princess Serenity-" Guardian Pluto started, but Aurora was already cutting him off.

"No. She is too afraid of herself to effectively wield the power that we need."

Sailormoon looked at the ground, biting her lip. Neptune, seeing her leader's expression, scowled at Aurora and snarled, "You've got a really big mouth, you know that? You're always rambling off worthless advice and little warnings that never tell us anything, making Usa-chan feel bad, and hurting people's feelings! _Why are you here_? Why did you come if it was just to make us doubt ourselves even more? Huh? What purpose did you hope to accomplish by coming here and making us feel rotten about ourselves?"

Neptune was shaking with rage, and she continued on, heedless of Uranus, who was trying to calm her. "You're probably not even who you say you are. The senshi of realities indeed! You're just a pathetic shadow of a senshi that probably never existed. In fact, you're probably another ploy by the Caravan to lull us into a false sense of security so you can strike and destroy us when we least expect it!"

Aurora had stopped everything at the start of Neptune's tirade, and now she stood as frozen as a statue. Her luminous eyes shone slightly, glimmering with tears that she would never allow to be shed in front of them. Her grip tightened slightly on the Eternal Star, and Sailorneptune covered her mouth with both hands. She knew that she had gone too far.

Aurora's face, nearly as pale as her hair, smoothed itself of any betraying emotion, and she softly said, in a carefully controlled voice, "I came here to help. My world, and yours as well, is on the brink of destruction. That's all." Her body trembled for a minute, and before she could loose complete control, she turned and ran from the garden, her fuku shimmering and vanishing as she did so.

"I-I-" Sailorneptune shook her head, speechless. The other senshi remained in a similar silence. None of them knew how to respond to Neptune's violent outburst.

Finally, tears shining in her eyes, Venus snapped, "Nice job, Neptune! You're the one with the big mouth!" Her voice shattered the silence like a boulder thrown onto a thin sheet of ice, and Uranus exploded.

"_SHUT UP!_ You can't always-"

"_Why_ should we always have to listen-"

"I'm _not_ the one who-"

"Obnoxious twit! _You_-"

"It was _your fault_ that-"

Sailormoon, tears in her eyes, turned and walked away. The remaining five senshi who had managed to show up when the city was in danger didn't even notice her departure.

0

_Eclipse,_ she whispered through her mind, _Come to me._

_I am already here__._ The was rustle of wind, and the silver falcon swept down from the starlit sky. Sailormoon's fuku shimmered and vanished, leaving her in ordinary clothing. Usa sniffled and brushed a tear off of her cheek. Reaching a dead-end in the garden wall, the dark-haired girl realized that she could no longer hear the squabbling of the senshi she had left behind.

"Good!" She whispered savagely. "I hope they've torn each other to pieces!" Grabbing a low hanging limb of a familiar tree, Usa pulled herself into woven branches. Finding her way even by just the light of the moon was simple; she could have done the same with her eyes shut.

_How many times have I been up here since I was old enough to climb? The first time I was here...it was such a long time ago..._ Her fingers brushed the top of the wall and she murmured, "Not far now, just twist your foot like so and... _here_." Finding twists in the gnarled truck that no human eyes could ever have seen, Usa twisted like a cat and stepped onto the heavy stone wall. The comforting embrace of the tree leaned far enough over the cold stone to shield from sight and give her a sense of protection without blocking her view of everything around her. Below her, a section of the city laid within the cradle of a valley. Far below her, the lights winked like stars on the ground, a shimmering tapestry of sleepy, peaceful light. With a flurry of wings, Eclipse landed on a nearby branch.

"The moon..." Usa said softly, "always used to comfort me when I hid here."

_It _is_ very beautiful__._ The silver bird ruffled his feathers gently.

"It's almost full."

_And that takes away from its beauty?_

"No, but it makes me feel empty. Eclipse," she turned to face him. "We aren't going to make it."

_You're so certain of your failure?_

"Yes. There's something..._missing_ from us. From the _heart_ of our team. We began to reach for it when the others regained their memories, but that was only a small step. And now..." She shook her head, her tears falling silently to the ground far below.

_They're fighting again._

"They're _always_ fighting! This time, they've dragged Moriko-chan in with them! Who knows where Ame has run off to! Umina's sharp tongue did real damage this time, Eclipse. Ame doesn't it show it clearly, but she cares about us, about what happens here I'm sure it hurt her feelings to be accused like that."

The falcon sighed in her mind. _I don't know what to tell you._ She could feel his sadness in her mind. _I _never_ seem to know what to tell you, do I? I follow you everywhere, watching you, protecting you, but in the end, I'm no use to you._

Usa, still crying, shook her head and protested, "_I'm_ the one who has no use! You've always been here for me, supporting me, giving me advice. I can't..." Her tears were falling faster now, and harder, "I can't even keep my own team of senshi together." She buried her face in her hands. "The world is going to end and it's all my fault."

_Usa! Don't cry! Please!_ The falcon sounded as if his own heart was breaking, and he gave small, sad cry. She lifted her face from her hands, tears scattering, and dark hair drifting about her like velvet swaths of night.

"Eclipse..." she whispered, her eyes full and brimming, "I'm _sorry_. I didn't mean to hurt you. I've never wanted that..." She slid towards him and carefully wrapped her arms around his feathered body.

_I wish...that I could make your pain go away. I wish..._ He ducked his silver head to her dark one, and the two sat in silence, a fragile silhouette in the moonlight.


	13. Chapter 12

**Hotaru's Discovery, A Threatening Three-Way Face Off**

The sounds of the argument reached Ame even as she sprinted down the hallways of the Palace. Swiping angrily at tears she didn't even fully understand, she shook her head and told herself, _It doesn't matter anyway. _They_ don't matter. Once we've all died, nothing will matter. And,_ she added as an afterthought, _Even if we _do_ survive this by some miracle, it won't matter what they think of you. You'll have the Aurora back and you can return to your post._ Somehow, despite the fact that it was supposed to be encouragement, Ame didn't feel a whole lot better.

Another long eternity of solitude in the Aurora wasn't much more appealing than being attacked in a living reality, but at least it was familiar. Desperately trying to lose herself in the sprawling passages of the Palace, she randomly turned corners when she came to them.

_What's a lifetime of monotony though? What's the point?_ Contradicting her own wandering mind, Ame quietly admonished, "I'm the guardian. That's what I do. Without me, the Aurora would stand free for any who tried to pass through it. I'm keeping balance throughout realities." Something about that statement sat poorly with her, and the white-haired girl slowed in her running. Coming to a complete stop, she frowned and ran over the sentence in her mind. _I'm keeping balance-_

"That's it! _Balance..._"

_"We are the what forms the Balance of the Universe, the Cosmos Quartet."_

"Sailorchiron," Ame whispered to herself, "who is she really?"

She leaned against the wall and discovered that it was, in fact, a door. Toppling inward with the well-oiled hinges, she found herself in a massive library. Somewhere in the back of her mind, Ame was aware that so many books existed, but it had never occurred to her that she might see so many all together in one place.

The room stretched up so high that Ame had to tip her head all the way back to see the ceiling, and the walls were filled with shelves all the way up. Desks were scattered at seemingly random intervals throughout the room, and at a few, diligent students hunched over their own treasured tome or textbook. Ladders and stairways branched and wound everywhere, giving the library the feeling of some strange and exotic jungle. Although her power as a senshi of the Aurora gave her literacy in any reality she stepped in to, Ame could count the number of books she'd read in her life on one hand. Nevertheless, the library was a sight.

"Impressive, yes?" The white-haired girl turned her head slightly to find Hotaru standing behind her. Suddenly self-conscious, Ame wiped at the tears she knew were still streaking her face and turned away so the other girl wouldn't see the puffiness to her eyes.

"Yes... I've never seen anything like it." With a sigh that caught in her throat and nearly became a sob, she added, "I've actually never seen much of anything."

Hotaru circled her until the two were face to face and shrugged, flatly saying, "So what? Believe it or not, Ame, there's not a whole lot to see. After awhile, everything starts to look the same and you just want it all to end."

"Want what to end?" Ame sniffled slightly, reestablishing control over herself as she did so.

"Life." Hotaru shook her head and added, "It never ends."

"Everyone dies eventually, Hotaru-san, even people from Crystal Tokyo."

The dark-haired girl shook her head furiously and blurted, "NO! Not for me! Never for me...I can't...I can't die."

Ame, confusion plainly written across her face, replied, "I don't understand. How...how can that be?"

Hotaru, her brief burst of emotion once again hidden under an icy facade, replied, "I am Sailorsaturn, the senshi of death and rebirth. When I die, I am reborn. In the case of a crisis, my true power will awaken and the world will end."

Ame, already pale, became even whiter. "Excuse me?"

"It's an ancient prophecy. Whenever the senshi of silence truly awakens, the end of the world is at hand."

"That's horrible! How can you live with yourself?" As soon as the words passed her lips, Ame clapped her hands over her mouth and mumbled, "I did it again. I'm speaking without thinking. I'm sorry, Hotaru-san."

Hotaru shrugged slightly and replied, "That's okay. The previous Sailoruranus, Sailorneptune, and Sailorpluto tried to kill me when they first discovered who I was. You being slightly forward isn't likely to hurt my feelings."

"Senshi attack senshi? That's terrible..."

Hotaru shrugged again and answered, "That's not the only time it has ever happened. Sailorgalaxia attacked and subverted senshi from across the galaxy. She slaughtered all of us for star seeds before Sailormoon stopped her. Although actually," A bemused smiled crossed her normally serious face, "It was Sailoruranus and Sailorneptune who killed me that time too. How odd that I never really noticed."

"It seems that maybe they're holding some kind of grudge against you."

"No," Hotaru said quietly, "they're just very devoted to the causes they feel are just. They felt they were doing the right thing by temporarily joining forces with Galaxia. They thought a surprise attack might be the only way to defeat her. They died at her hands just as all the others did, but they condemned themselves as traitors first."

"I'm so sorry..." Ame murmured, "I had no idea you had been through so much..."

Hotaru turned her back to the other girl, motioning that she should follow, and said, "Actually, the most horrible thing I was ever a part of was when I was possessed by an entity known as Mistress 9. Under her control, I became the Silent Messiah, nearly destroying the world and the lives of both my father and my best friend in the process."

Passing several staircases before finding the one she wanted, Hotaru slowly mounted the steps, Ame close behind her. "My first appearance as Sailorsaturn took place at that time. After that, Sailormoon came to me. Through some type of miracle, and I suspect through some power of Saturn, I was reborn as a baby. I aged to sixteen to travel to the Labyrinth, and then drained all of my energy in the battle against the Divine One. I reverted back into infant form in time to return and be taken into the care of first my father and then Setsuna-san. I aged again to face Nehelenia, queen of the Dead Moon, and Sailorgalaxia, only to be killed by Sailoruranus and Sailorneptune. I was reborn with the others and upon the formation of Crystal Tokyo, my powers once again resurfaced. However, when I reached this state," she paused to seat herself in front of a large wooden desk and motioned for Ame to pull up a chair. "I stopped aging. I have been in the body of an eighteen year old girl for over a thousand years."

Hotaru sighed softly and pulled a golden key on a chain from under her blouse. Fitting it into the lock on the desk, Ame realized that this was a place where Hotaru kept her personal research safe.

"The others are aging," Ame said slowly, "And they're leaving you behind."

"More or less. It's not really the leaving me behind part that I mind, as my maturity level has always been much higher than my age, but rather that I'm tired of watching."

Ame shook her head, once again lost in the strange circles Hotaru's mind moved in.

"I'm tired of watching them die." The dark-haired girl clarified. "It's not their long lives I envy, but rather their lack of immortality. It will still take them several thousand years before they're even close to death, but nevertheless the opportunity is there for them." She shook her head slowly and murmured, "I'm not offered that window of choice, and instead will always remain on the Earth, waiting for the time when destruction is at hand."

She said it with such a cold lack of emotion that Ame found herself instinctively pulling away. Hotaru noticed and smiled with a slightly bitter edge, saying, "Don't worry. If the world is to end shortly, it won't be by my hands." With a wide gesture towards the books that had been locked in her desk, she added, "If I'm lucky, these books will assure me that the world will _never_ end by my hands."

"How so?" Ame peered at them curiously. They looked immeasurably ancient, and many of them had cracked leather binds covered in strange symbols that even Ame, with her Aurora-born knowledge, didn't recognize.

"In these books somewhere, I'm convinced the secret to killing the killer awaits discovery. If I can just find the right one..."

_Suicide. I wonder if Usa-chan knows that one of her senshi is searching for death?_

Hotaru, misinterpreting Ame's silence for disapproval, defensively said, "You couldn't possibly know what it's like! Locked in eternity forever, knowing that even after everything passes you by that you'll still be there-"

"Stuck in a world of loneliness where you're bound forever by duty?" Ame's indigo eyes shone with tears, and she murmured, "I think I _do_ know how you feel, Hotaru-san. I've had those moments were the depression is so oppressive that it hurts just to breathe and everything in your body screams for a release that you know will never come. I've had the times when I just want to cry, but I can't because I always have just one more thing I have to keep my eye on first. I know what juggling so much power that you could accidentally destroy an entire reality with one mistake is like."

Hotaru was watching her silently, absorbing every word.

"I know what it's like to want to scream all of your problems to the world, but hesitating because you're afraid someone will hear them and... I know what it's like to wish you were dead. But still, are you sure this is what you truly want? Death, although it may seem like a better choice than a life of endless duty and sacrifice, is a very final thing. Serenity _won't_ return you to this world is you kill yourself outside of the line of duty. It's forbidden"

Hotaru nodded gently. "Yes. I know. This is what I want. Will you...help me?"

Ame, her face pensive, blinked slowly and nodded. "If this is what you want, I'll do everything in my power to help you find release."

"Thank you, Ame-san."

0

Usa opened her eyes to a beam of sunlight streaming through her window like gold. From the corner of her eye, a humanoid shape moved as Usa shifted, and she felt her heart leap into her throat.

_There's someone there!_ She thought with shock, bolting upright. She quickly rubbed her eyes, still being dazzled by the the light coming in from the window, and found Eclipse dozing on his perch. There was no sign of the shadowy human outline Usa thought she had seen.

Eclipse ruffled his feathers slightly from where he sat on his perch as Usa continued to stare at him, her heart still pounding against her throat. He slowly stretched silver wings into the light. The reflection off of the metallic feathers was brilliant, and he lit up like a small sun.

"Ach! Eclipse, the light!" Usa whipped a pillow over her face and mumbled, "It's just a little bright for waking up to."

_Of course it was just Eclipse sleeping there. How many times have I seen him in the morning?_ She tried to firmly tell herself that she was being silly and letting her imagination run away with her, but for a moment the imagined person had seemed familiar. Certainly she hadn't felt threatened after that initial flash of surprise.

The falcon blinked with surprise and looked around, wings still spread. As he saw the patterns his feathers were throwing around the room, he folded them sheepishly and called, _Sorry. I forgot__._ She heard something that sounded suspiciously like a chuckle, but when she peered around the edge of her shield he was innocently preening.

_Feeling better?_

She smiled and pushed the "figure" out of her mind. "Yeah. I feel really _good_. Maybe a good night's rest was just what I needed." The alarm on her communicator went off suddenly, and she sighed with mock-resignation and added, "I guess it's good that I got sleep when I did."

"Everyone!" Mizumi's face appeared, followed by a three dimensional projection of her body. "There's something wrong down here. I think the Caravan is abroad. Sending you the coordinates...hurry!" She disappeared before Usa or anyone else could get a word in edgewise. Usa hit a button along the side of the watch-like device and said, "Did everyone get that?"

Tensei, followed quickly by Umina's voice, replied, "Yes. On our way."

"I'm coming." Moriko's voice held undisguised excitement.

"I'll be there." Kazaki's reply was so quiet that Usa nearly missed it all together.

"That just leaves the Ainos, Hotaru-san, and Ame-chan."

Minutes passed, and when there was still no sign that anyone else would be responding Usa sighed and beckoned Eclipse.

"Come on! Hurry. We've got to go over and get Aikin-san and Nakomi-chan."

0

As she ran down the street, Usa was privately relieved that although all of the former senshi had chosen to live outside of the palace, they had built their homes very close to it. They were basically neighbors with no one but each other on all sides of the palace. A longer run would have wasted too much already precious time. She was running so hard that instead of bothering to stop, she simply ran straight into the door of the Aino residence. Then, when no one answered the thud, she pounded on the door with both hands.

"Minako-san! Nakomi-chan! Aikin-san! Somebody! Open the door!" Moments later, a rumpled and sleepy-looking Minako opened the door a crack. When she saw who was standing on her doorstep, her light blue eyes widened slightly and her mouth formed an O.

"Usa-chan! What are you doing here so early?"

"The communicators...went off...Aikin and Nakomi...didn't answer...we've got go...a senshi...emergency." She gasped for breath and Minako opened the door wider.

"Why didn't you say so in the first place?"

As the dark-haired girl entered, Minako pointed up the stairs and said, "Nakomi is the second door on the left. I'll get Aikin myself."

As the frantic girl tore up the stairs, Minako slowly padded to her son's room, murmuring, "I can understand why they didn't get up. Annoying things, communicators. I could never stand it when _mine_ got _me_ out of a warm bed."

0

"We're going to have to slow down _a lot_ if I take you two in the sidecar, but I can't take both of you on the back..." Aikin shook his head and added, "I don't know what else to do." Usa tentatively lifted the cover of one of the sheets in the garage, and she suddenly said, "Does this one work?"

"Huh? Oh. Yeah. That was the one my mom bought when she thought it would be a bonding adventure for the family."

Nakomi added, "She found out that riding on motorcycles terrifies her."

Usa bit her lip slightly and finally blurted, "I bet I could ride it."

Aikin hesitated and answered, "It's not really that hard to ride, but we're going to have to go pretty fast. You'd never be able to control it."

"Not to mention all the weaving in and out of traffic we're going to have to do." Nakomi chimed helpfully.

Usa shook her head stubbornly and said, "Eclipse can help me."

Aikin raised an eyebrow. "The bird knows how to ride a motorcycle?"

"No," Usa smiled, "But you do."

Aikin shook his head, clearly trying to fight down a level of exasperation he usually saved for Nakomi. "I'm not following you."

"Eclipse is telepathic, right? All you have to do is send him everything you know about riding. Everything you _feel_. If he passes it to me, I'll know how to ride."

"Are you sure that'll work?"

Usa shrugged and replied, "No. But I know that we're not getting anything else accomplished by standing here."

Aikin sighed lightly and shut his eyes. Usa tried not to laugh when she realized he was slowly counting to ten.

0

_This isn't as bad as a thought it would be._

_Lean._

Usa shot around a car.

_ I could even get used to this. What a convenient way to travel!_

_Turn._

Usa glanced slightly to her left where Aikin and Nakomi were riding next to her. Nakomi took one arm off of her brother's waist and waved slightly. Usa, too unsure of her abilities, didn't move her hands.

_Tell them I say 'hi.'_

_I'm not a messenger bird, and that's not the way my abilities work!_

Usa giggled at how disgruntled Eclipse sounded but grew immediately serious as the road continued to rush by her.

_Almost there..._

0

"Decimating Voltage!"

A wolf constructed completely of orange energy vanished at Sailorjupiter's attack, but all around her more were on the way. Neptune nursed a small bite mark in her leg for a moment before saying, "Okay team! Are we ready for another strike?"

"We had better be," Uranus Knight murmured softly, "because those wolves are getting ready for another run."

Sure enough, the creatures were grouping together in front of the drastically outnumbered senshi, the leader a huge black energy wolf with glowing orange eyes. It howled a challenge as the last members of the pack gathered behind it, and Sailorneptune shouted, "Now, Sailormars! While they're still standing still!"

"Huh?" The senshi of fire looked confused for a moment, but then realized what her temporary leader was talking about. "Oh. Right."

Sailormars held her hands out at waist length, palms facing up, and twin balls of flame appeared in either hand. The balls fanned out to encase her hands, which she brought to her face. Softly blowing the tiny flames covering her hands, the separate fires combined into one flame. She blew gently again, and the glowing orb of fire flew out of her hands and drifted over her head like a leaf in the wind. Mars glanced up at, an almost content look on her face. Suddenly, her head snapped down, and she glared at the creatures. The orb of fire flared brightly and rapidly began to grow larger.

"HYPNOTIC FLAMES!" The orb, still floating above her, appeared to explode above her, and it shot towards the wolf pack with amazing speed.

Despite the direct hit, only about four of over twenty wolves were destroyed, and a few more injured. Sailormars blushed and murmured, "I'm sorry. That's the best I can do."

Neptune surveyed the pack with dismay, but shook her head firmly and said, "That's okay. We can still beat them like this. Get ready."

The senshi did as they were asked, but they knew it was hopeless. All of them had been at least mildly injured already, and the odds had nearly doubled against them since the start of the fight.

The leader of the wolf pack leaned forward slightly, and Sailorneptune snarled, a fist raised. However, their frightening stare-down was interrupted by the roar of two motorcycles. On the right of the team, Guardian Pluto jumped from the bike and raised the Time Key. On the left, Sailorvenus took her place. The final engine was cut, and on the seat a girl in a blue and silver fuku stood.

"For love and justice I am the beautiful sailorsuited soldier Sailormoon! In the name of the moon, I'll punish you!"

"Sailormoon!" Mercury exclaimed, "you made it!"

Sailorneptune sighed with relief and muttered, "Thank _God_. I don't think I'm cut out for this leader thing. It's a lot harder than it looks!" Uranus smirked at her, but quickly went back to watching the enemy.

The wolves in the pack were obviously disturbed by the arrival of three new senshi, but the leader was still watching them carefully. Suddenly, with no prior warning, the big wolf lunged towards Sailormoon.

"Heaven Strike!"

"Shattered Epoch!"

The two attacks seamlessly combined into one swirling ball of golden and mauve energy, and threw the pack leader across the wooded clearing. Uranus and Pluto, in a shocking show of rare camaraderie, looked at each other and grinned.

Sailormoon jumped from the back of the bike and shouted, "Now's our chance! Sailorneptune and Sailorjupiter, you two come in from the right. Sailormars and Sailormercury, I want you two up in those trees. Mercury, if you can get close enough to attack when the time comes, do it. If not, keep an eye for any ambushes. Mars, the same goes for you. If you see an opportunity to attack, don't hesitate. Uranus Knight and Sailorvenus: I want you two to come from the left." The two glanced at each other, but didn't protest or argue; they knew the seriousness of the situation.

"Guardian Pluto, come with me down the center. I have a feeling that if we can destroy the pack leader, the rest of the pack will either dissipate or at least lose direction. Ready...and...GO!"

The senshi went in every direction. The pack leader was already struggling to his feet, but the other wolves were hovering with indecision. One howl sent them after the senshi.

"Iridescent Tide!"

"Decimating Voltage!"

A swath was cut out of the wolves numbers, and Jupiter and Neptune flashed each other thumbs up.

"Golden Kiss Glitter!"

"Heaven Strike!"

Although it didn't combine the way Uranus and Pluto's effort had, the double attack was still quite effective as it carved through a hoard of wolves in front of them.

Mars gestured for Mercury to follow her, and without looking back jumped to the next tree with the agility of an acrobat. She flew along the trees until the head wolf was just below her and then crouched, waiting.

Instead of another energy attack, Pluto swung the Time Key in wide circles, deflecting the wolves with every pass. Sailormoon did the same with the Lunar Blade. Finally, the two were left facing the massive black wolf at the center of the fighting.

Closer to the size of a horse, the pack leader was far more intimidating close up. Without hesitation, Sailormoon ran straight at it, the Lunar Blade held high. She sprang into the air, straddled the wolf's back, and plunged the sword into its spine. Sailormercury and Mars saw their chance.

"Hypnotic Flames!"

"Shimmering Frostbite!"

"Shattered Epoch!"

"Shining Radiance!"

With a final howl, the wolf vanished and with it the pack of energy wolves disappeared. Sailormoon, instead of falling through thin air, found herself sitting on the shoulders of a thin man with bright orange hair. She shrieked and toppled backwards, falling to the ground. Pluto, Mercury, and Mars were instantly at her side, and moments later the other senshi reached them.

"I remember you!" Uranus exclaimed, "Yukino Tora, right? From the Caravan." Tora nodded mournfully and replied, "That's right. You_ destroyed_ my lovely wolf pack! I worked so _hard_ on those!" He was now standing in a circle of senshi, but the fact didn't seem to faze him any. Sailormoon shrugged.

"I'm sorry, but they were running wild in the middle of a park."

Tora giggled and replied, "What's a wolf pack without a little mischief? I didn't hurt anyone before your senshi arrived."

"Stop right there!" A familiar voice cut through the conversation, and Sailorchiron stepped out from behind a tree.

"We don't know what business you're conducting, but you had better finish it quickly," Sailorinari said calmly.

"Because we're here to get the ginzuishou," Sailormura chirped.

Neptune sighed with exasperation. "Not right now! Can't you see we're busy?"

"More sailor senshi, huh?" Tora vanished and reappeared on a tree limb above them. "How interesting. I don't think we knew anything about that." He shrugged and concluded, "No bother. I'll just destroy all of you right now and not worry about who is who."

The Quartet fell into defensive positions, as did the Crystal Tokyo senshi. There was complete silence as the three sides observed each other for a timeless moment, only to be broken by the scream of a challenge.

0

At the same time, miles away, a cry of triumph disturbed everyone in the library. Ame looked up from the dusty book she was reading, dirt smudged on her face and in her hair. "Did you find something?"

"This is it," Hotaru whispered, her eyes shining, "This is the answer to my problem!"


End file.
